A federal court has granted bail to Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and lawful permanent resident who faced deportation under the Trump administration due to his advocacy for Palestinian rights. Khalil is now allowed to return to New York, where he will reunite with his wife and newborn son while his case continues.
Dr. Noor Abdalla, Khalil’s wife, expressed relief at the decision, stating: “After more than three months we can finally breathe a sigh of relief and know that Mahmoud is on his way home to me and Deen, who never should have been separated from his father.”
The government had initially planned to keep Khalil detained in a remote ICE facility in Louisiana based on alleged omissions on his green card application. This came after a judge ruled that Khalil could not be detained due to adverse foreign policy consequences of his speech. His detention since March 8 caused him to miss significant family events, including the birth of his first child.
Alina Das from New York University School of Law commented: “No one should fear being jailed for speaking out in this country,” celebrating Khalil’s release as an opportunity for him to reunite with his family while they continue the legal battle.
Noor Zafar from the ACLU noted: “This is a joyous day for Mahmoud, for his family, and for everyone’s First Amendment rights,” emphasizing that the ruling highlights that immigration law cannot be used to suppress disfavored speech.
Donna Lieberman from NYCLU remarked: “It is an enormous relief that Palestinian human rights defender Mahmoud Khalil can return to New York while his case proceeds.” She stressed that ideas are not illegal and criticized the administration’s approach towards dissenting opinions.
Amol Sinha of the ACLU of New Jersey expressed confidence in Khalil ultimately prevailing against what he described as unlawful targeting by the federal government for advocacy efforts.
Baher Azmy from the Center for Constitutional Rights highlighted: “All Americans should be grateful that Mahmoud had the fortitude to defend basic first amendment principles.”
Ramzi Kassem from CUNY emphasized that Khalil’s release vindicates not only his rights but also acknowledges that he was detained as punishment for defending Palestinians.
Khalil’s legal team submitted various briefs, expert statements, and letters supporting their case. They argued against continued detention based solely on misrepresentation allegations deemed rare and retaliatory. The legal team comprises Dratel & Lewis, Center for Constitutional Rights, CLEAR, Van Der Hout LLP, Washington Square Legal Services, NYCLU, ACLU chapters in New Jersey and Louisiana.
