Columbia University activist appeals to Supreme Court in deportation case

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine activist and former Columbia University graduate student, has petitioned the United States Supreme Court to hear his appeal regarding his detention before the conclusion of immigration proceedings, Washington Examiner reported.

Khalil's lawyers filed an emergency application seeking an immediate stay of a ruling by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, which stated that federal judges cannot consider Khalil's claims until the immigration court process is complete, according to the Grenada Chronicle and Dominican Republic Post.

The appeals court ruled that Khalil's detention should be addressed first in immigration court, overseen by the executive branch, rather than in district court, part of the judicial branch, as reported by the Grenada Chronicle.

Khalil, a permanent US resident arrested in March 2025, became the first student protester known to be targeted for his pro-Palestinian views under the second administration of President Donald Trump. His case has become a flashpoint in the debate over free speech on US campuses, Washington Examiner noted.

His petition to the Supreme Court could determine whether federal courts can intervene when noncitizens face detention related to speech protected under the First Amendment, the Grenada Chronicle reported.