Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine activist whose case has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, faces deportation to Algeria, the country where he holds citizenship.
Khalil, born in Syria and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp, entered the United States on a student visa in December 2022. His status was later adjusted to that of a lawful permanent resident last November.
The administration accused Khalil, now a green card holder, of concealing information about his affiliations, including his role as a political officer with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and his involvement with the Columbia University Apartheid Divest campaign.
Last week, Judge Jamee Comans ordered Khalil's deportation either to Algeria, where he holds a passport, or to Syria, his country of birth.
While deportation to Algeria appears more likely on paper, in practice, the process is far from straightforward, considering the North African state's history of complicated expulsion processes.
Khalil and his lawyers insist the charges are unfounded, describing the administration's case as fabricated and politically motivated. They have 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
NBC News said court documents show the government at times relied on unverified tabloid accounts and timelines that mischaracterised his work history.
Whether Algeria will accept Khalil remains uncertain.
In February, Trump launched a broad deportation drive targeting more than a million "undocumented immigrants deemed threats."
At least 306 Algerians are on the list, according to an ICE document circulated on Fox News. However, Algeria has not confirmed the return of any citizens.
The New Arab reached out to Algeria's embassy in Washington for comment on Khalil's case, but received no response by the time of publication.
Andrew Farrand, MENA Director at political risk consultancy Horizon Engage, says Khalil's case comes at a sensitive moment in US–Algerian relations.
"The Algerian government is working hard to maintain positive relations with Washington in order to ensure continued cooperation on defence, energy projects, and diplomacy—not least the Western Sahara file," added the author of The Algerian Dream: Youth and the Quest for Dignity in a statement to TNA.
"This suggests they likely won't push the US too much in any direction in this case, but will simply aim to show cooperation."
If Khalil were deported, Algiers might seek to frame his return as a symbolic victory.
"The [Algerian] government may look to spin it as a PR win. Algerians' deep-seated support for the Palestinian cause means Khalil could be given a hero's welcome in Algiers," Farrand added.
The case unfolds on a much bigger diplomatic stage. Algeria is locked in a dispute with France, where the extradition of Algerian citizens has been a central sticking point.
Algiers has repeatedly refused or delayed deportation requests from Paris, often accusing France of bypassing traditional diplomatic channels and denying Algerians their rightful trials.
Yet the crisis between Paris and Algiers has always been rooted in 132 bloody years of colonisation, a chapter both countries' leaders have yet to close.
When it comes to the United States, however, Algerian diplomacy is notably less fervent or defensive, regardless of Washington's decisions.
In July, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune even expressed support for US President Donald Trump's "sovereign" decision to raise tariffs on Algerian exports, describing the move as largely symbolic and with minimal impact on Algeria's economy.
In April, Algiers issued only a muted statement when Trump recognised Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, a position that Algeria had angrily opposed when Paris voiced it the previous summer.
Algerian officials have also refrained from issuing strong-worded statements on Washington's role in sponsoring Israel's war on Gaza during the July visit of Trump's Special Advisor on African and Middle Eastern Affairs, Massad Boulos.
"French leaders will certainly resent seeing Algeria cooperating smoothly with the US to accept a deportation. For their part, Algerian leaders would relish a chance to thumb their noses at Paris," Farrand said.
For now, Khalil's future remains tied to a lengthy appeals process.
With Algeria's military-backed regime eager to cosy up to Washington, and a felon-turned-president in the White House who once sent troops against protesters, the two capitals suddenly look like they have more in common than ever.