Court Grants Khalil Stay, Blocking Deportation Pending Supreme Court Review

A federal appeals court has granted Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and lawful permanent resident, a temporary stay of deportation while he seeks review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put its earlier ruling on hold, allowing Khalil to remain in the U.S. while his case proceeds. Khalil was detained in March 2025 by immigration authorities over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia in 2024. The U.S. government argued his presence in the country was harmful to foreign policy interests. A federal judge in New Jersey initially freed him, ruling the government had acted unconstitutionally, but the appeals court later overturned that decision, stating the case should proceed through immigration courts. The court did not provide a reason for granting the stay. Khalil’s lawyers have also argued his case in immigration courts, so far unsuccessfully, with a separate appeal pending before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Brett Max Kaufman, senior counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents Khalil, welcomed the decision, stating it prevents the government from using detention and deportation to silence dissent. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the ruling. Khalil, who is married to an American citizen, was released from ICE custody in June 2025 after his arrest in New York City. The Supreme Court appeal is expected in the coming months, possibly in late summer.