This week, a U.S. federal judge delivered a win for free speech and due process by blocking the deportation of 30-year-old Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia University graduate and lawful permanent resident.
Khalil has been detained in Louisiana since March, after being held at his New York City apartment building lobby. His lawyers say he was targeted over his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, leaving him separated from his wife and newborn son, Deen.
The case hinged on an obscure provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, cited by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to strip Khalil of his legal status. The provision allows the removal of any noncitizen whose activities are deemed to affect U.S. foreign policy interests.
District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that enforcing the removal would inflict "irreparable harm" on Khalil's career and reputation while chilling his right to free speech. "This adds up to irreparable harm," Farbiarz wrote, granting a temporary block on federal officials.
Khalil's victory joins a series of recent legal wins for lawful residents targeted for activism. In the past weeks, Columbia's Mohsen Mahdawi, Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk, and Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri all secured similar court orders.
As Khalil awaits further hearings, his case highlights growing judicial scrutiny of immigration actions tied to political expression. For many young global citizens and advocates, it underscores a critical balance between national security and individual rights.
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Palestinian Columbia University graduate can't be deported, judge says
cgtn.com
