A video taken by Mahmoud Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, captured the moment federal immigration agents arrested Khalil outside his residence. A U.S. judge denied the Trump administration’s attempt to dismiss Khalil’s challenge to the legality of his arrest but moved the case to New Jersey. The judge ruled that he did not have jurisdiction over the case and ordered it to be heard in New Jersey federal court.
Khalil, a detained Columbia University student, was arrested by ICE agents for his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. He was moved to Louisiana to avoid the case being heard in New York or New Jersey. The judge’s ruling temporarily blocks Khalil’s potential deportation and allows the New Jersey court to rule on his bids for bail, release, or a transfer out of immigration detention.
Khalil’s lawyers argue that he was targeted for advocating for Palestinian rights, violating his free speech rights. He called himself a “political prisoner” in a letter from detention. The administration cited a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act to justify his removal, claiming his participation in “pro-Hamas events” could harm U.S. foreign policy.
Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, calls for justice and demands his release so he can be reunited with her. The case has become a focal point in the debate over free speech and the targeting of non-U.S. citizens for removal based on protected speech. The outcome of the case will have implications for the administration’s immigration practices and the rights of individuals to advocate for political causes without fear of retribution.
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