The case of the Palestinian activist, the face of 2024’s US campus protests, could have repercussions for thousands

Despite his grim circumstances, Mahmoud Khalil can’t help but laugh.

Walking through Congress’s hallowed halls, the Palestinian student activist, who may be inching toward deportation, has a lightness to him. He is quick with a smile – and not yet ready to waver. He admits he’s in “the scary part” of his ordeal, but he has a new reason to like his odds.