Hamas Supporter Remains in Custody
Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and supporter of Hamas, who organized a pro-Hamas protest at Columbia University in New York City, will continue to be held in ICE custody following a ruling from a New Jersey District Judge.
On Friday, Judge Michael E. Farbears ruled against Khalil’s release, stating that he “did not provide de facto evidence” to support his claim for illegal detention and failed to present a solid legal argument.
The judge noted that while the court had previously restricted respondents from detaining petitioners on certain allegations, it was made clear that Khalil was currently in custody due to another charge.
“As mentioned in the May 28 ruling, the petitioner did not furnish factual evidence on why his detention on the second charge might be unlawful,” the judge remarked, underscoring Khalil’s lack of a substantial legal case regarding this matter.
It was also pointed out that Khalil had not sought an appeal concerning the earlier ruling. Judge Farbears highlighted that various options remain open, such as bail requests to immigration judges, but recent applications related to Columbia University graduates were not approved.
The judge emphasized that Khalil’s plea for court relief was denied, indicating a continued scrutiny of his situation.
This ruling comes shortly after Justice Farbears decided that ICE could not detain anti-Israel activists and Algerian citizens, as per directives from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Nonetheless, the judge admitted that federal officials still have grounds to appeal or detain Khalil for other reasons.
On the same day, Justice Department representatives claimed that despite the ruling against detention based on Rubio’s decision, reports indicated that Khalil might be held for not disclosing certain information on his green card applications. Khalil was arrested in March after protests organized by Palestinian activists and Columbia University alumni, a move perceived by many as indicative of the Trump administration’s tough stance on such issues.
