WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 19, 2025) – In response to a Louisiana immigration Judge ordering the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil – a legal permanent resident and nonviolent protester – to Syria or Algeria in what appears to be retribution for his pro-Palestinian advocacy, Greenpeace USA Democracy Campaign Director, Folabi Olagbaju said:
“Targeting activists for deportation is not a rule of law, it’s a rule of fear. This sets a dangerous precedent: using immigration enforcement to penalize political dissent and silence protest.
“What’s happening right now is bigger than one activist. If the government can target Khalil for his advocacy, none of us are safe when we speak truth to power.
“Greenpeace USA rejects the weaponization of deportation proceedings to suppress free speech. For decades, our movement has shown up in solidarity and peaceful protest against injustice. Free speech and nonviolent direct action have shaped this nation’s conscience, from the Boston Tea Party to Selma to Standing Rock, and our rights must not be undermined now!
“Throughout our 50 year existence, Greenpeace USA has been no stranger to threats and attempts to silence our activism and solidarity with Indigenous voices through the U.S. legal system. So we can speak with certainty about the power of strength in numbers and refusing to capitulate to cowardly devices. They can’t silence a movement.
“Mahmoud Khalil, Jimmy Kimmel, and all others at risk for speaking truth to power – we are with you.”
Khalil’s lawyers have 30 days from the September 12 decision to appeal the Board of Immigration Appeals. They’ve formally asked the U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz—who oversees his civil rights case in the District of New Jersey—to intercede. Join us in encouraging Judge Farbiarz to intercede and prevent Khalil’s imminent deportation.
Greenpeace USA Press Desk: [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
