Judge Allows Trump Administration to Extend Mahmoud Khalil Detention Amid Legal Disputes

The Trump administration has refused to release Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and legal U.S. resident detained for three months, despite a federal judge's order. Initially, the government justified Khalil's detention by citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio's claim that Khalil posed a threat to U.S. foreign policy, but a judge rejected that basis for continued detention. Subsequently, the administration shifted to a secondary legal argument, alleging Khalil misrepresented information on his green card application, which the judge ruled could lawfully justify his continued detention. Khalil's attorneys have condemned the government's actions as cruel and arbitrary, asserting Khalil should be released immediately since the administration missed a court-imposed deadline to appeal. The case underscores the administration's broader crackdown on campus protests against Israel's conflict with Gaza, framing such activism as grounds for deportation. Despite legal challenges and public criticism, the Trump administration maintains its position, signaling continued detention of Khalil on immigration fraud charges.