Mahmoud Khalil
Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure during the Gaza war protests at Columbia University in the spring of 2024, has drawn global attention after the Trump administration arrested and moved to deport him.
The case has raised questions about free speech on college campuses and the legal process that would allow for the deportation of a US permanent resident.
Mr Khalil will remain in detention in Louisiana following a court hearing on Wednesday, where lawyers argued over whether he should be moved back to New York.
Born in Syria, the Columbia graduate’s arrest by immigration agents was linked to President Donald Trump’s promise to crack down on student demonstrators he accuses of “un-American activity”.
Trump has repeatedly alleged that pro-Palestinian activists, including Mr Khalil, support Hamas, a group designated a terrorist organisation by the US. The president argues these protesters should be deported and called Mr Khalil’s arrest “the first of many to come”.