A U.S. federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to release Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil from immigration custody, dismissing a government request for a stay. U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz said Khalil posed no flight risk or danger and directed that the 30-year-old activist be freed on bail the same day. Khalil, a Palestinian-born legal permanent resident, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on 8 March in Manhattan and transferred to an ICE facility in Jena, Louisiana. The administration initially sought his deportation under an obscure section of the Immigration and Nationality Act after Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared his presence harmful to U.S. foreign-policy interests because of his prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. On 11 June Farbiarz ruled that the government could not rely on Rubio’s determination to justify detention or deportation, calling Khalil’s more than three-month confinement “highly unusual.” The Justice Department then argued that Khalil had omitted information on his green-card application, but the judge found the record “very strong and uncontested” that he was neither a security threat nor a flight risk and refused to delay his release. While Khalil must still defend himself in ongoing immigration proceedings, the ruling is a significant setback for President Donald Trump’s effort to remove foreign students who joined campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. The Justice Department signaled it may appeal, yet Farbiarz declined to grant additional time, allowing Khalil to reunite with his wife and newborn son in New York.

During the New York City mayoral debate, all nine candidates, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo, expressed unanimous support for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate currently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana. Khalil was arrested for his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests, which included leading riots and allegedly harassing Jewish students. Cuomo characterized Khalil's detention as part of a broader erosion of democracy and due process under former President Donald Trump, stating that Khalil should be released immediately and should not have been detained initially. Cuomo also wore a yellow ribbon at the debate, symbolizing advocacy for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, was allowed to hold his one-month-old son Deen for the first time on Thursday after a federal judge intervened. Khalil has been detained since March 8 in a Louisiana facility, following his arrest by U.S. immigration agents after the State Department revoked his green card under a provision allowing deportation of non-citizens deemed adverse to U.S. foreign policy interests. The Trump administration opposed a contact visit, initially permitting only a non-contact meeting through a plexiglass barrier. Federal judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey ordered that Khalil be allowed to see and hold his wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, and their son in person at the detention center. Khalil's wife traveled nearly 1,500 miles to the facility for the visit, which took place after his request to attend his son's April 21 birth was previously denied. Khalil's detention and pending deportation proceedings are linked to his prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, which federal authorities argue may have undermined U.S. foreign policy. Khalil has not been charged with any crime. On the day of the family visit, Khalil appeared before immigration judge Jamee Comans in Jena, Louisiana, for a hearing on his deportation. His lawyers presented testimony about the risks he would face if deported to Syria, where he was born in a refugee camp, or Algeria, where he holds citizenship. No ruling was made at the hearing, and both sides were given until June 2 to submit closing arguments. Khalil's absence from Columbia's graduation ceremony was noted by students and faculty, with public demonstrations calling for his release.

A federal judge in New Jersey has ruled that the Trump administration's effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, is likely unconstitutional. The administration sought Khalil's deportation on the grounds that his activism disrupted U.S. foreign relations. However, the judge found this rationale to be legally unsound and indicative of a potential misuse of immigration law to punish Khalil for his political beliefs. Despite this ruling, the judge did not order Khalil's immediate release, noting that further legal proceedings are required to address allegations that Khalil concealed his membership in certain organizations during his green card application, which could still justify revoking his residency and deportation. Khalil's attorneys have criticized the administration's actions as a weaponization of immigration law. The case highlights ongoing legal debates surrounding immigration enforcement and constitutional protections related to political expression.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate facing deportation by U.S. immigration authorities, reportedly held security clearance from the British government. Andrew Waller, a former British diplomat, disclosed that Khalil was cleared to work on sensitive issues, including serving as a programme manager at the Syria Office in the British embassy in Beirut from 2018 to 2022. Khalil was also involved in the Syria Chevening Program, a prestigious UK initiative. Waller emphasized that Khalil was vetted and well-liked during his time in the British government, countering claims that he poses a risk to U.S. foreign policy, as suggested by some officials, including former President Donald Trump, who described him as a 'Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student.'

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian detainee held in a U.S. immigration detention center in Louisiana, has written a letter to his newborn son, who was born three weeks ago. Khalil has been prevented from being present at his son's birth due to his support for the idea of a Palestinian state. His letter, shared through The Guardian and reported by multiple sources including The New Arab and The Hill, highlights the personal impact of U.S. immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration. Similarly, Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri was detained by masked ICE agents a month ago despite having committed no crime, prompting calls from his Palestinian wife, Mapheze Ahmad Yousef, for his release. These cases underscore ongoing concerns about the detention and deportation of immigrants under current U.S. policies.

Mahmoud Khalil has been permitted to hold his newborn son for the first time despite objections from the federal government. This development comes after initial refusals by government authorities to allow Khalil contact with his child. The decision marks a reversal of the government's stance, enabling Khalil to have physical contact with his son.

A New Jersey judge, Michael Farbiarz, has moved Mahmoud Khalil's deportation case from immigration court to federal court, ruling that his decision is an opinion not subject to interlocutory appeal. Meanwhile, Indian academic and Georgetown peace scholar Badar Khan Suri is currently detained by ICE as a high-risk security threat. Suri has been transferred across five locations in three states before arriving at a Texas detention center, where he was subjected to harsh treatment, including being forced to wear used underwear and sleep on the floor while exposed to loud television noise for extended periods. The U.S. government has requested a federal judge to transfer Suri's deportation case from Virginia to Texas, where he faces charges of spreading Hamas propaganda. Suri has been designated a high-security prisoner with limited outdoor time, receiving only two hours of fresh air per week. Separately, a judge ruled that a University of Minnesota student detained by ICE cannot be deported.

During a CNN segment, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman claimed that Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student arrested by immigration agents, is "paid by a terrorist organization," asserting that he has evidence to support this statement. However, when pressed for details about the organization, Blakeman admitted he did not inquire with his intelligence division about the specific entity funding Khalil. This statement drew criticism from the CNN panel, with one member highlighting the irresponsibility of making uncorroborated claims on national television. Blakeman's comments included references to organizations that he described as "anti-American," but he did not provide any substantiated evidence or specific names of the alleged terrorist organization.

Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York has blocked the deportation of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. Furman, an observant Jew, made the ruling amid various discussions regarding his background and affiliations. Reports indicate that he is an Obama appointee and has familial ties to individuals associated with pro-Palestinian groups. His decision has drawn attention, particularly due to his Jewish identity and the implications of his ruling in the context of U.S. immigration policy. The judge has also been noted for adjourning court early for Shabbat observance.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist, remains detained in federal immigration custody in Louisiana. His legal team appeared before a federal judge in New Jersey to argue against the U.S. government's motion to transfer his case to Louisiana, where he is currently held. The judge has yet to decide on the jurisdiction of the case. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Newark courthouse, supporting Khalil and advocating for his release. They waved Palestinian flags and held signs demanding an end to the targeting of activists and protesting against what they described as genocide. Khalil, who was arrested on March 8 by ICE agents at his university-owned apartment in New York, is a legal U.S. resident born in Syria to a Palestinian family. He is a green card holder and his wife is pregnant. The Trump administration has cited a rarely used statute to justify his detention and potential deportation, alleging that his actions threaten U.S. foreign policy interests and that he supported Hamas. No charges have been filed against him. The case has drawn attention to broader efforts by the Trump administration to target students and faculty at various universities who have expressed support for Palestinian causes. Other students and faculty members at institutions such as Tufts, Cornell, Georgetown, Brown, and the University of Alabama have also faced similar actions, including visa revocations and detentions, often related to undisclosed work history or alleged support for Hamas.

Members of Congress from Massachusetts, including Senator Ed Markey, Representative Ayanna Pressley, and Representative Jim McGovern, visited immigration detention centers in Louisiana to assess the conditions and meet with detained students Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil. The lawmakers criticized the conditions at the facilities and demanded the release of the students, who they described as being held without due process. Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish Fulbright scholar and PhD student at Tufts University, was detained by masked ICE agents in Somerville, Massachusetts, and transferred to Louisiana. She expressed fears for her safety and reported being denied food, water, and medical care. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder and former Columbia University student, was arrested for his participation in pro-Palestinian protests and has been denied the opportunity to attend the birth of his first child. The delegation, which also included Representatives Troy Carter and Bennie Thompson, condemned the Trump administration's actions as authoritarian and a violation of free speech and due process rights. They vowed to continue fighting for the release of Öztürk and Khalil, who have not been charged with any crimes but are being held as political prisoners under a rarely used section of immigration law. Senator Markey described their detention as a 'national disgrace.'