Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration Detention of Columbia Activist

A federal judge in New Jersey ruled that the Trump administration cannot use U.S. foreign policy interests as grounds to detain or deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist, finding that such detention violates his right to free speech and causes irreparable harm to his career and reputation. The judge emphasized that the administration's secondary claim of alleged omissions on Khalil's green card application was insufficient to justify his detention, noting that lawful permanent residents are rarely detained for such reasons. Despite declaring the detention unlawful, the judge delayed Khalil's release until Friday morning to allow the administration time to appeal the decision, so Khalil remains in custody in the interim. Khalil had been arrested after the government sought to revoke his green card under a rarely-used immigration law provision empowering the Secretary of State to deport individuals deemed adverse to U.S. foreign policy. This case, along with a similar recent case involving another student protester, has raised concerns about the government's use of immigration law to intimidate or punish dissent. Khalil's wife expressed hope following the ruling but also underscored the uncertainty as the legal battle continues.