Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student fighting deportation, have requested that Judge Emil Bove recuse himself from an appellate panel that may consider his immigration case.

The recusal request centers on Bove's previous role as a Justice Department official during the Trump administration's enforcement actions against campus protesters. Khalil's legal team argues that Bove's prior position creates a conflict of interest in the case.

Khalil and Bove were positioned on opposing sides during President Trump's crackdown on campus demonstrations, when Bove served in a senior capacity at the Justice Department. The specific nature of their previous interactions during that period has not been detailed in court filings.

The former Columbia graduate student is currently appealing his deportation order through the federal court system. The appellate panel, which could include Bove, would have authority to review lower court decisions in the immigration case.

Judicial recusal motions are standard procedure when parties believe a judge's prior professional or personal involvement could compromise their ability to rule impartially on a case. Federal judges are required to step aside in cases where their previous roles might create actual or perceived conflicts of interest.