Columbia University graduate student and prominent pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was released from a Louisiana detention center on Friday evening, ending over three months of federal custody. His case has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s aggressive stance toward critics of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.Khalil, who holds a U.S. green card and has no criminal record, was taken into custody by immigration agents in March. His release followed a federal judge’s order earlier in the day, rejecting the government’s claims that his detention was necessary for national security.“Justice has finally prevailed,” Khalil said shortly after being freed. “But it took far too long. No one should be detained for protesting against genocide or holding their university accountable.”Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, welcomed the decision, saying, “I can finally breathe again. Mahmoud is on his way home to me and our son, Deen, who was born while his father was unjustly held.”Despite the court’s order, the Trump administration swiftly filed an appeal less than 10 minutes after Khalil walked free. Government attorneys argue that the executive branch has sweeping authority under immigration law to detain and deport non-citizens deemed national security risks. The justification cited was a Cold War-era clause in the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, invoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz, who issued the release order, rejected the government’s national security claims, stating that Khalil poses no threat and is not a flight risk. “There’s a strong and uncontested record supporting his release,” he said.Farbiarz also denied the government’s request to delay Khalil’s release for seven days to allow time for an appeal.Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized the ruling, calling it an act of judicial overreach. “This decision undermines national security and public confidence in our constitutional system,” she said.Judge Michael Hammer imposed travel restrictions as a condition of Khalil’s release, requiring him to surrender his passport and limiting his movements to New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.Khalil was a key figure in the Columbia University protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. His supporters and civil liberties groups claim the government is using immigration law as a tool to suppress free speech and intimidate political activists.“No one should be jailed for speaking out in this country,” said Alina Das, Khalil’s attorney and co-director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at NYU School of Law. “We’re relieved he is back with his family and will continue fighting this case in court.”The American Civil Liberties Union also denounced the government’s actions as a targeted attempt to silence dissent. Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 55,000 people, according to recent estimates.
