Mahmoud Khalil, an anti-Israel activist and graduate student at Columbia University, was released on bail from an immigration detention center in Louisiana on Friday, following a judge’s order. He is set to return to New York, where his wife and baby reside, and must inform the Department of Homeland Security of his new address within 48 hours.
US District Judge Michael Fabiartz noted that it is quite unusual to detain legal US residents without evidence of a flight risk or violent behavior, emphasizing that Khalil posed no threat to the community. “There’s no risk here. Full stop,” the judge stated.
Khalil’s lawyers argued that his detention was a rare and unconstitutional act by the government. He had been arrested in March for his pro-Palestinian activism, and the detention was based on a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, claiming his actions contradicted US foreign policy.
Rubio referred to unclear sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act to justify his reasoning, and Judge Fabiartz later instructed his secretary to proceed with the deportation effort against Khalil.
Interestingly, the Department of Homeland Security later cited a second reason for Khalil’s detention, suggesting that critical information was missing from his green card application regarding his affiliations, including his involvement in a campus protest.
The situation has sparked significant debate among anti-Israel activists and immigration rights advocates, who contend that the Trump administration is targeting Khalil for his outspoken opposition to Israeli actions, thereby stifling free speech regarding issues like the Gaza conflict.
Although Khalil must surrender his passport, he has been granted a green card and is permitted to travel to various locations, including New York and Michigan, for court proceedings. The Trump administration is seeking to challenge the judge’s decision in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
