Columbia anti-Israel agitator Mahmoud Khalil being deported over ‘pro-Hamas propaganda flyers,’ White House says

By New York Post (Politics) | Created at 2025-03-11 17:56:15 | Updated at 2025-03-12 06:32:53 12 hours ago

WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed Tuesday that former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil is in the process of being deported for allegedly circulating “pro-Hamas propaganda flyers.”

Khalil was arrested Saturday by Department of Homeland Security officials — becoming the posterboy of a crackdown on alleged antisemitism by foreign citizens on college campuses — though it was not immediately clear why he was selected as the initial target.

Mahmoud Khalil speaks at a press conference on April 23, 2024. James Keivom
Protesters gather during a demonstration at Federal Plaza calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil on March 10, 2025. New York Post
Palestinian supporters, including Mahmoud Khalil (second from left), demonstrate during a protest at Columbia University on Oct. 12, 2023. AP

“The secretary of state has the right to revoke a green card or a visa for individuals who serve or adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States of America,” Leavitt said at her regular briefing.

“And Mahmoud Khalil was an individual who was given the privilege of coming to this country to study at one of our nation’s finest universities and colleges. And he took advantage of that opportunity, of that privilege by siding with terrorists, Hamas terrorists who have killed innocent men, women and children.”

She added: “This is an individual who organized group protests that not only disrupted college campus classes and harassed Jewish American students and made them feel unsafe on their own college campus, but also distributed pro-Hamas propaganda flyers with the logo of Hamas.”

Karoline Leavitt speaks to the press on March 11, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
Mahmoud Khalil is seen in a graphic posted on the White House’s Instagram page on March 10, 2025. Instagram/White House

“That is what the behavior and activity that this individual engaged in. And I have those flyers on my desk. They were provided to me by the Department of Homeland Security,” Leavitt said.

“I thought about bringing them into this briefing room to share with all of you, but I didn’t think it was worth the dignity of this room to bring that pro– amount of propaganda, but that’s what this individual distributed on the campus of Columbia University, and this administration is not going to tolerate individuals… studying in our country and siding with pro-terrorist organizations that have killed Americans. We have a zero tolerance policy for siding with terrorists here.”

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