White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions from reporters on Tuesday, staunchly defending the Trump administration’s move to possibly deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian green card holder and former Columbia University student accused of supporting Hamas.
The briefing on Tuesday came after a federal judge temporarily blocked Khalil’s removal, intensifying a high-stakes clash over immigration policy, free speech, and national security.
Leavitt underscored the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on foreign nationals deemed adversarial to U.S. interests, particularly those linked to terrorism.
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Addressing whether a crime must be charged to deport a green card holder, she pointed to broader legal authority.
“Secretary Rubio reserves the right to revoke the visa of Mahmoud Khalil under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Leavitt said. “The Secretary of State has the power to revoke a green card or visa for individuals who serve or are adversarial to foreign policy interests.”
Khalil, arrested Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was a prominent figure in Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian protests during the Israel-Hamas war, notably as the “lead negotiator” for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group.
The Trump administration alleges he distributed pro-Hamas propaganda, including flyers bearing the group’s logo, and organized protests that disrupted classes and harassed Jewish students—claims bolstered by a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement accusing him of aligning with the U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
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“Mahmoud Khalil was given the privilege of studying at one of our nation’s finest universities,” Leavitt told the press. “He took advantage of that by siding with Hamas terrorists who have killed innocent men, women, and children.” She described his actions as not only disruptive but a direct threat, citing materials provided by DHS. “I thought about bringing that pro-Hamas propaganda into this room to share with you, but I didn’t think it was worth the dignity of this space,” she added, emphasizing the administration’s resolve. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for siding with terrorists, period.”
The briefing followed a Monday ruling by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman, an Obama appointee, who ordered DHS to halt Khalil’s deportation pending a lawsuit challenging his detention.
Furman’s decision, issued in the Southern District of New York, sets a hearing for Wednesday, ensuring Khalil—who is currently held at the LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana—remains in the U.S. for now. The judge’s intervention has sparked debate over the balance between executive authority and judicial oversight in immigration cases.
President Donald Trump celebrated Khalil’s arrest on Truth Social, calling it “the first of many” and vowing to target other students engaged in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.” The move aligns with Trump’s executive orders combating antisemitism on college campuses and follows his administration’s revocation of $400 million in funding from Columbia earlier this month for failing to curb such behavior.
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Khalil’s case has drawn sharp lines. The administration, backed by groups like Betar US—which flagged him among 120 pro-Hamas figures—argues his actions justify stripping his legal permanent residency, a status he reportedly gained after entering on a student visa. Critics, including his attorney Amy Greer, call it a politically motivated attack on free speech, noting ICE’s initial claim of a revoked student visa was baseless given his green card. A habeas corpus petition filed by Khalil’s legal team challenges the arrest’s validity, demanding DHS justify his detention.
The broader context—nationwide protests over Israel’s response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre—looms large. Khalil’s role in Columbia’s April 2024 encampment, which saw building occupations and clashes with police, has made him a lightning rod. While he framed his activism as negotiation for divestment from Israel-linked firms, the administration and pro-Israel advocates see it as evidence of extremist sympathies.
As Wednesday’s hearing nears, Leavitt’s remarks signal an unwavering stance: green card or not, the Trump administration views Khalil’s alleged Hamas ties as grounds for deportation—no criminal charge required.
With ICE’s actions now under judicial scrutiny, the outcome could set a precedent for how far the government can stretch its authority over legal residents in the name of security.
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