A federal judge ruled on June 11 that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot use foreign policy interests to justify detaining Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who played a leading role in the pro-Palestinian protests that rocked the school across 2024.
Khalil, a lawful permanent resident in the U.S., has proven that his continued detention is causing irreparable harm to his career, family, and free speech rights, U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled. Despite the ruling, Farbiarz has delayed a release order in the case.
The free speech concerns in the case were particularly in Khalil’s favor, the judge said, citing precedent that “[w]hen a plaintiff is claiming the loss of a First Amendment right, courts commonly rule that even a temporary loss outweighs any harm to defendant and that a preliminary injunction should issue.”...
