Mahmoud Khalil, an anti-Israel protester, expressed regret upon leaving what he called an “incredible man” behind at a detention facility in Louisiana on Friday.
“I’ll be leaving over 1,000 people who don’t belong there,” Khalil stated to reporters after his release from the LaSalle detention center in Ina, Louisiana.
Reflecting on his experience, he shared a hope that he would one day return to see the facility turned into a museum highlighting America’s problematic immigration policies.
After being apprehended by federal immigration authorities on March 8, Khalil spent 104 days at the rural center as the Trump administration made efforts against Syrian-born permanent residents suspected of engaging with the Palestinian group Hamas.
“This administration is trying its hardest to dehumanize everyone here,” he remarked outside the facility.
He criticized President Trump, stating, “They picked the wrong person for this.” Of course, it doesn’t mean I’m perfect,” he added with a hint of defiance.
Khalil, identifiable by his Keffiyeh, also expressed disappointment with Columbia University, accusing it of contributing to violence against Palestinians.
“There’s no reason anyone should be faced with detainment for protesting against Columbia, which, I believe, supports actions that are detrimental to the Palestinian people,” he said.
U.S. District Judge Michael Fabialz, appointed by President Biden, ordered his release, noting potential wrongful retaliation related to Khalil’s outspoken views on the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
Fabialz determined Khalil was not a flight risk and posed no danger to the community.
After his release, Khalil made it clear that the first thing he wants to do when he returns to New York is to embrace his wife and son.
While Khalil was detained, his wife gave birth to their son. He reminisced about the limited time he had to hold his child during visits.
“The second you walk into that facility, all your rights are stripped away,” he remarked. “You step through those doors and witness a completely different reality than what this country claims to stand for.”
Deputy Director of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, criticized the ruling, hoping the Supreme Court would intervene for Khalil’s return to custody.
McLaughlin emphasized that it’s immigration judges who should decide on Khalil’s status, not district judges, explaining that he had been denied bond by an immigration judge earlier that day despite being released afterward.
She argued that external influences on the judiciary threaten national security and public trust in legal systems.
McLaughlin also asserted that obtaining a visa or green card is a privilege, and criticized actions taken by the Trump administration regarding Khalil, suggesting a need for the High Court to affirm the immigration judge’s decisions.
