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Mahmoud Khalil was granted release on bail by a federal judge after a hearing Friday, in the latest move in the pro-Palestinian activist's legal saga following his March arrest that spotlighted the Trump administration's deportation crackdown.
U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz said he found Khalil isn’t a flight risk or danger to the community, NBC News reported.
Farbiarz previously declined on June 13 to order Khalil's release even though he had questioned the Trump administration's main basis for detaining him. When he issued a preliminary injunction in Khalil’s favor on June 11, Farbiarz said the government can’t deport him under Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that the former Columbia University student’s presence and activities put U.S. interests at risk. The New Jersey judge added that, since Khalil can’t be deported on that basis, he can’t be detained on that basis either.
But the Biden appointee said in an order against Khalil on June 13 that the Trump administration now says it’s holding him on a separate basis, not the one Farbiarz had preliminarily enjoined. The judge noted that he had previously said Khalil failed to successfully challenge that secondary basis and had never appealed that ruling.
Since then, the Trump administration argued it can keep Khalil detained on that secondary basis, regarding his alleged omission of certain information in his permanent residency application.
Khalil’s case gained national attention in the administration’s immigration and deportation crackdown, which has featured arrests followed by court-ordered releases upholding free speech rights.
The lawful U.S. resident has argued that his March arrest at student housing in New York City was “retaliation against his protected speech.” He said he’s not a flight risk or danger to the community, and he cited family hardship during his detention in Louisiana; his wife gave birth in April. He was born in Syria and is a citizen of Algeria.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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