Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil is a legal U.S. resident

New York, N.Y. — In a significant development for the closely watched case of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a federal judge has ruled that his deportation proceedings should be heard in New Jersey, rather than New York or Louisiana.

Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York made the decision on Wednesday, describing Khalil’s case as “exceptional” and warranting careful judicial review. The ruling comes as a setback to the Trump administration, which had sought to have the case dismissed in New York or transferred to Louisiana.

Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University graduate student and legal U.S. resident, was arrested by federal immigration agents on March 8 near his campus residence. He was initially held at a detention center in New Jersey before being transferred to a facility in Jena, Louisiana.

The activist’s detention is linked to his prominent role in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University last year. The Trump administration has alleged, without providing evidence, that Khalil has ties to Hamas and is sympathetic to terrorism. 

Khalil’s legal team vehemently denies these claims,
arguing that his arrest violates his First and Fifth Amendment rights.

In his ruling, Judge Furman maintained his previous order preventing Khalil’s deportation, stating that it will remain in effect unless a district court judge in New Jersey decides otherwise. The judge emphasized the need for careful consideration of the constitutional issues at stake.

Dr. Noor Abdalla, Khalil’s wife who is eight months pregnant with their first child, called the ruling a “first step” in a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union. “His unlawful and unjust detention cannot stand. We will not stop fighting until he is home with me,” she said.

The case has drawn significant attention as it is seen as part of a broader crackdown promised by President Donald Trump against student protesters accused of “un-American activity.” 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cited a rarely-used statute giving him broad authority to deport individuals posing “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.“

As the legal battle continues, Khalil remains in detention in Louisiana, where he is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge on March 27. 

His lawyers argue that the government’s actions amount to “blatant repression of student activism and political expression.”

The case’s transfer to New Jersey represents a compromise between the positions of Khalil’s legal team, who sought to keep the case in New York, and the government, which pushed for Louisiana. 

It sets the stage for what promises to be a closely watched legal battle with significant implications for free speech and immigration rights in the United States.

Palestinian Activist’s Legal Fight Moves to N.J. Amid Controversy (March 18, 2025)

Tags: Mahmoud Khalil, deportation, immigration detention, pro-Palestinian protests, Columbia University, Trump administration, free speech, human rights, Jesse Furman, ACLU

#MahmoudKhalil #FreeSpeech #PalestinianRights
#ImmigrationJustice #ColumbiaUniversity #NewJerseyCourt