A federal judge has ordered the release of Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who has been held in immigration detention since March for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests.
The decision follows weeks of legal wrangling between Khalil’s attorney and the Trump administration, which cited national security concerns and alleged falsehoods on his green card application.
But U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz rejected that argument, calling out the government’s attempt to use Khalil’s speech and protest involvement as grounds for deportation.
Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, has not been charged with any crimes. He was a lead negotiator and public voice for the student protest movement at Columbia — speaking out against Israel’s war in Gaza — which made him a prime target in Trump’s ongoing crackdown on student demonstrators, especially those who are non-citizens.
Khalil could soon reunite with his wife and son — but the broader issue centers on free speech.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
