US Judge Denies Release of Pro-Palestinian Activist in Louisiana Detention

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian pro-Palestinian activist and legal permanent resident detained since March, remains in US custody despite a federal judge ruling that the Trump administration could not justify his detention based on foreign policy interests. Judge Michael Farbiarz found that the government's claim that Khalil posed a national security threat due to his activism was likely unconstitutional and ordered his release, but the Trump administration has kept him detained on separate immigration fraud allegations related to his green card application. Khalil's lawyers argue these new charges are a pretext to punish his political advocacy against Israel's war in Gaza and to delay his release, while the government insists it has the authority to detain him on these grounds. Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, has missed significant personal milestones, including the birth of his son, as he remains in a Louisiana detention center. Civil rights groups and his legal team condemn the detention as a violation of free speech and political repression. The Trump administration's refusal to release Khalil despite court orders highlights ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement and political activism.