New york: A US immigration judge has mandated the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a former graduate student of Columbia University, to either Algeria or Syria. This decision follows allegations of omissions on his green card application, as revealed by court documents filed on Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Immigration Judge Jamee Comans denied Khalil's plea for a waiver to prevent his deportation. The judge stated that Khalil had 'willfully misrepresented material fact(s)' to navigate the immigration process and to lessen the chances of his application being denied. Comans further remarked that Khalil's actions could not be justified, highlighting that his 'lack of candor on his I-485 form was not an oversight by an uninformed, uneducated applicant.'

Khalil, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March and later released on bail in June, expressed his disapproval of the decision. He described it as a retaliatory move against his political activism, specifically pointing fingers at the Trump administration. In a statement, Khalil asserted, 'It is no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for my exercise of free speech. Their latest attempt, through a kangaroo immigration court, exposes their true colors once again.'

Khalil further argued that when initial efforts to deport him appeared unsuccessful, authorities resorted to fabricating allegations. He claimed the accusations were an attempt to silence him for advocating on behalf of Palestine and opposing what he termed as the ongoing 'Israeli genocide.' Despite the ruling, Khalil vowed that such tactics would not deter him from continuing his advocacy for his people's liberation.