A U.S. federal judge has temporarily barred authorities from deporting Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian Columbia University graduate and lawful permanent resident, in a case highlighting tensions between immigration policies and free speech rights. Judge Michael Farbiarz of New Jersey ruled Wednesday that Khalil cannot be detained or removed from the U.S. while his legal status is contested, citing potential harm to his career, family life, and First Amendment rights.
Khalil, detained since March in Louisiana, faced deportation after the Trump administration revoked his residency over his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely used 1952 immigration law permitting removals tied to foreign policy concerns. Farbiarz countered that the government failed to demonstrate how Khalil’s activism threatened national interests, calling the move an overreach that 'chills protected speech.'
The ruling comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. immigration enforcement targeting activists, with ABC7 reporting similar cases involving students from Tufts and Georgetown. Khalil’s legal team emphasized his ties to the U.S., including his wife and newborn son, while academics warn the case could set precedents affecting international students’ rights.
