Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student detained by U.S. authorities over his role in pro-Palestinian protests, is preparing to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his deportation. Multiple outlets report that Khalil’s lawyer says the appeal will follow a decision by a federal appeals court that declined to reconsider a ruling. That development leaves the government one step closer to re-arresting and deporting him, according to the reports. Khalil, who is described as a 31-year-old Columbia alumnus and a prominent organizer of disruptive demonstrations at the university, was first arrested in March 2025 at his New York City apartment. The appeals court’s refusal to rehear the case effectively denies Khalil a further review in the lower courts, prompting his legal team to seek an emergency or intervention from the Supreme Court. The reported aim of the Supreme Court request is to halt deportation while the legal challenges continue. The outlets characterize the case as part of a broader legal dispute connected to the protests and subsequent detention and removal proceedings.