A U.S. federal judge removes travel limits on anti-Israel agitator Mahmoud Khalil, sparking outrage as the Hamas apologist regains nationwide mobility while fighting deportation.
In a ruling that has stunned Jewish and pro-Israel communities, a U.S. federal magistrate judge has lifted travel restrictions on Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University–educated anti-Israel activist whose past statements defending the October 7 Hamas massacre provoked bipartisan condemnation.
Khalil, once detained by ICE as a “national security threat,” will now be permitted to travel freely across the United States to speak at protests and events — despite facing an active deportation order and an ongoing appeal.
Judge Grants “Free Speech” Leeway
According to The Associated Press, Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer ruled Thursday that Khalil does not pose a flight risk and has complied with all release conditions. The judge accepted defense arguments that his travel was “essential for very significant First Amendment reasons,” allowing him to attend rallies and public events.
Government attorney Aniello DeSimone opposed the request, suggesting Khalil could participate virtually instead, but the court sided with his lawyer, Alina Das, who claimed that physical presence was necessary for his activism. Khalil must still notify ICE in advance of his travel, though the ruling effectively restores his ability to mobilize anti-Israel protests nationwide.
From Campus Agitator to National Firebrand
Khalil gained notoriety while at Columbia University, where he helped organize several campus protests that glorified Hamas and vilified Israel. His actions, previously dismissed by some as mere “student activism,” took on new gravity after October 7, 2023 — when Hamas terrorists massacred over 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.
In an August 6 interview with The New York Times, Khalil justified the atrocities as a “desperate attempt” by Hamas to “break the cycle” of Palestinian suffering. While acknowledging that “targeting civilians is wrong,” he refused to call the attack a mistake. The comment drew furious backlash from Jewish organizations, Israeli diplomats, and even moderate Arab voices who condemned his moral relativism.
Days after being released from detention in June, Khalil was seen at New York City anti-Israel rallies chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Video footage showed him leading demonstrations glorifying “resistance” and accusing Israel of “genocide” — rhetoric widely viewed as code for Israel’s destruction.
He later appeared at another protest, quoting a Hamas-affiliated Al Jazeera correspondent who was eliminated in Gaza by Israeli forces — a chilling reminder of the blurred lines between “activism” and ideological extremism.
Deportation Battle Continues
Khalil’s immigration case remains unresolved. An immigration judge in Louisiana ruled last month that he could be deported for failing to disclose information on his green card application, a decision his legal team is now appealing. The lifting of travel restrictions, however, allows him to spread his message freely while under review, prompting renewed concern that U.S. courts are enabling extremist propaganda under the banner of free speech.
A Victory for Speech or a Breach of Security?
Critics say the ruling undermines U.S. counterterrorism vigilance at a time of record-high antisemitic incidents across Western capitals. Pro-Israel analysts have warned that figures like Khalil serve as “amplifiers of Hamas messaging inside democratic societies,” weaponizing Western freedoms to normalize jihadist ideology.
Khalil’s defenders argue the ruling represents a victory for constitutional rights. But for the families of October 7 victims — and for those tracking radicalization on American campuses — it feels like a dangerous capitulation.
As one Israeli diplomat told Israel National News:
“The same man who excused the slaughter of babies in southern Israel is now being rewarded with freedom of movement across America. That’s not justice — that’s moral blindness.”
