Administration officials cited a rarely used provision that allows people’s removal if they present “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”

The White House justified revoking Khalil's green card by saying his involvement in protests against Israel's treatment of Palestinians amounted to support for Hamas and ran afoul of Trump's executive order banning antisemitism. Green card holders typically must break the law to be deported.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions from reporters on Tuesday, staunchly defending the Trump administration’s move to possibly deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian green card holder and former Columbia University student accused of supporting Hamas.