Khalil, detained for over a year, faces deportation after being labeled a terrorist sympathizer by officials under the Trump administration. His lawyers argue that these mislabels threaten Khalil's safety if returned to the Middle East, claiming it could result in severe repercussions like torture or assassination. During a lengthy court hearing, Khalil passionately denied the accusations, emphasizing his stance on human rights. A judge's ruling on his asylum is awaited, while a federal judge has temporarily halted his deportation pending free speech considerations.
It could range from assassination, kidnapping, torture," Khalil said during more than three hours of testimony that recalled key moments in his life, from his earliest memory in a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, Syria, to missing the birth of his son last month because he was locked up at the detention center 1,400 miles from his home in New York.
I became, not by choice, a celebrity - someone who has a target on his back by these mislabels. This means wherever I go in the world, I will have that target.
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