Quds News Network

New York (Quds News Network)- A federal judge has ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student leader at Columbia University, from ICE detention, reported Zeteo. Khalil had spent over three months in custody after being arrested in March by masked immigration agents without a warrant. Khalil, a lawful US green card holder, was taken from his Columbia-owned housing in a politically motivated assault. He was the first in a wave of student protest leaders and international academics arrested under a Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestine and anti-genocide activism. Judge Michael E. Farbiarz ruled on Friday that Khalil could be released on bail. The judge criticized the government’s detention efforts, calling them “highly, highly unusual.” He also noted, “There is at least something to the underlying claim that there is an effort to use the immigration charge here to punish Mr. Khalil. And of course that would be unconstitutional.” In early March, plainclothes ICE agents entered Khalil’s building and told him his visa was revoked. When he informed them he held a green card, they said that had also been revoked. His attorney, Amy Greer, was on the phone during the arrest and demanded a warrant. Instead, agents hung up on her. Khalil was then transported over 1,000 miles from New York to a detention center in Louisiana. The government later admitted it had no warrant but claimed Khalil was a flight risk. However, security footage showed Khalil cooperating fully and calmly during the arrest. Khalil was not accused of committing a crime. The Trump administration justified the arrest based on a rarely used argument that Khalil’s activism was “compromising US foreign policy.” The determination came directly from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This legal strategy drew sharp criticism. Earlier this month, Judge Farbiarz blocked the administration from continuing to detain or deport Khalil on those grounds, stating it was causing “irreparable harm.” Last week, the government changed tactics, alleging that Khalil misrepresented his employment history on his green card application. But on Friday, the judge said those claims did not justify further detention. While in detention, Khalil missed the birth of his first child and Columbia University’s graduation. ICE rejected his requests to be held closer to his wife and newborn. His case, like those of others arrested in the same wave, including Mohsen Mahdawi, Rümeysa Öztürk, and Badar Khan Suri, will continue in court. But Khalil will now be able to fight his case from outside detention.

Federal Judge Orders Release of Anti-Genocide Columbia Student Mahmoud Khalil from ICE Detention

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