Celebrations spread as a U.S. federal judge ordered the release of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who had been in government custody since March, according to local media.
Judge Michael E. Farbiarz of the Federal District Court in Newark, New Jersey ruled that the government cannot deport Khalil and must release him.
Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, was arrested on March 8 in New York City and transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in the southern state of Louisiana, thousands of miles away.
While held in detention, Khalil was unable to witness the birth of his first child.
Though he has not been accused of a crime, the Trump administration has argued that if Khalil is not deported, he could undermine foreign policy goals regarding fighting antisemitism.
Farbiarz said the court finds that Khalil does not pose a danger to the community, nor does he present a flight risk, “period, full stop.”
Stressing that it’s “highly, highly unusual” that the government is still seeking Khalil’s detention, the judge said: “Together, they suggest that there is at least something to the underlying claim that there is an effort to use the immigration charge here to punish the petitioner – and, of course, that would be unconstitutional.”
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Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
Mahmoud Khalil is a Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University in New York City, known for his prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus in 2024.
Born in Syria to Palestinian refugees, Khalil moved to the United States in 2022 to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.
He became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. with a green card and is married to an American citizen.
During the 2024 protests, Khalil emerged as a key figure, acting as a lead negotiator for the student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which demanded the university divest from financial ties to Israel and call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
He was noted for his public presence, often speaking to the media and negotiating with university administrators, unlike many peers who masked their identities to avoid repercussions.
His activism drew both support and criticism — some praised his advocacy for Palestinian rights, while others, including the Trump administration, accused him of supporting Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organisation, though no evidence of material support has been publicly detailed.
On March 8, 2025, Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his university-owned apartment in Manhattan.
The agents initially claimed to be acting on a State Department order to revoke a student visa, but upon learning he held a green card, they stated that status was also being revoked.
He was transported to a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. The arrest followed President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests, with Trump calling Khalil’s detention “the first of many to come.”
The Department of Homeland Security alleged Khalil “led activities aligned to Hamas,” though specifics remain unclear.
Khalil’s legal team challenged his detention, arguing it violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and due process, as he has not been charged with a crime.
A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked his deportation in March 2025, and he remained in detention in Louisiana while his case was progressing.
