A lawyer representing Mahmoud Khalil, a former student at Columbia, is seeking permission for him to physically interact with his wife and their newborn son while he is being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for ten weeks.
In a letter addressed to District Judge Michael Farbeers, Khalil’s legal team stated that the detention facility in Louisiana prohibits him from communicating with his wife, Noor Abdallah, and their baby except through a “full plexiglass window” which prevents any actual contact.
“To foster essential human connection and assist Mr. Khalil in preparing for ongoing detention and future immigration hearings, his wife and newborn traveled over 1,500 miles to visit him,” the letter noted.
There was mention of officials at the facility denying requests for contact visits, which have taken place before, including one on Wednesday.
“This visit is critical for basic human reasons, especially considering the ongoing burden of his pending habeas corpus. It’s important for Mr. Khalil to actively participate in his legal proceedings,” they expressed in the letter.
Concerns about security were raised, suggesting that visits be arranged in a secure part of the facility.
Efforts to get comments from the Department of Justice were made.
Khalil, who led pro-Palestinian protests in Colombia last year, was arrested in February and swiftly moved to Louisiana, marking a notable case in the Trump administrations’ approach to international students.
Abdallah welcomed their first child on April 21st.
“It pains me that I couldn’t hold you or hear your first cries, that I missed changing your first diaper,” he expressed. “I regret not being able to support your mother during such important moments. But my absence is something many Palestinian fathers experience; this pain is far too common,” he added.
The Trump administration has indicated that Khalil and fellow pro-Palestinian activists pose a potential risk to U.S. foreign policy, leading to his continued detention, despite the release of other foreign-born students in similar situations.
