US judge says effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil likely unconstitutional

Protesters demonstrate in support of Mahmoud Khalil at New York's Washington Square Park on March 11 [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

A United States federal judge has said that an effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to deport pro-Palestine student activist Mahmoud Khalil is likely unconstitutional.

District Judge Michael Farbiarz of New Jersey wrote on Wednesday that the government’s claim that Khalil constituted a threat to US national security and foreign policy was not likely to succeed.