ICE Denies Mahmoud Khalil Release to Attend Newborn's Birth

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident, was denied temporary release from ICE detention in Louisiana to attend the birth of his first child in New York, despite his lawyers' proposals for electronic monitoring and check-ins. The Department of Homeland Security and ICE rejected the request for a two-week furlough shortly after Khalil’s wife went into labor, and he was only able to participate in the event by phone. Khalil's detention and the denial of his request have drawn significant controversy, with his wife, Noor Abdalla, criticizing the decision as punitive and politically motivated due to his pro-Palestinian activism. Both Abdalla and their newborn son are reported to be in good health. The case has highlighted broader concerns about ICE practices and the treatment of activists in the U.S. immigration system.