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Louisiana Court Maintains Detention of Mahmoud Khalil After Recent Hearing: Key Details Revealed
This first court hearing in the government's case against activist Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent US resident and pro-Palestinian protester, didn't result in any significant decisions, leaving Khalil in detention in Louisiana. Though the judge has yet to rule on his lawyers' requests, he did grant them increased access to their client, and may schedule calls with them soon.
Key Points
- Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born, Palestinian parented, Columbia University grad student, was arrested by federal immigration agents at his university residence last Saturday.
- During the court hearing in New York City, Judge Jesse Furman (who previously blocked the Trump administration from deporting Khalil) was presented with procedural concerns about moving Khalil from Louisiana to New York, and moving the legal proceedings to Louisiana, where the court system is more conservative.
- Furman showed signs of skepticism towards the government's argument for moving the case to Louisiana, but did not make a ruling and did not specify a timeline.
- Trump called Khalil a "Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" in a post on Truth Social and justified his arrest as "the first of many to come."
- Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the arrest, stating that pro-Palestinian activism goes "beyond the pale" of free speech, and added that anyone using a student visa to "prey" upon Jewish classmates will be deported.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a link to coverage of Khalil's arrest and declared a plan to revoke the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America on X.
- Khalil's attorneys argued in a court filing that Khalil's arrest was an attempt to "target and chill[ing] free speech," and that there was a misunderstanding about his immigration status.
Columbia's Response
Columbia University issued statements confirming their policy of requiring a judicial warrant to enter university properties, though did not disclose whether a warrant was granted for Khalil's arrest. They also announced their commitment to upholding the legal rights of their students, and urged the entire community to respect those rights.
Khalil's Detention Facility
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's database shows Khalil is currently being held in a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, after previously being listed as being detained in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Khalil's Wife's Statement
Khalil's wife, an eight-months pregnant US citizen, expressed frustration about the past week as a "nightmare." She claimed that Khalil received threats before his arrest, and that Columbia University ignored his request for legal support. When ICE agents arrived at their home, they were not shown a warrant and refused to let his wife accompany him. She then stated that her sense of safety and stability—which led her parents to immigrate to the US—has never been more compromised.
Potential Arrests of More Students
Comments by Trump and other Republicans suggest impending arrests of more student activists. The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration attempted to arrest another Columbia University student last Friday, but were turned away without a warrant.
Threats to Students and Schools
Trump wrote on Truth Social that his administration will "find, apprehend, and deport" students engaging in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity." He also threatened to end federal funding for any school that allows "illegal protests," but provided no further clarity on what would be considered an "illegal protest."
Khalil's Arrest Condemned by Free Speech Advocates
Civil rights and free speech groups have widely criticized Khalil's arrest, with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University calling it "genuinely shocking" and accusing the Trump administration of running "roughshod over individual rights and the rule of law."
Can the Trump Administration Deport Green Card Holders?
Federal immigration law allows the government to revoke a permanent resident's green card and immigration status if they have been convicted of certain crimes or engage in terrorist activity, or if the Secretary of State personally orders someone to be deported if they compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest. However, the government still needs to prove why Khalil poses a threat and will need to comply with due process.
Far-Right Figures' Opposition to Khalil's Arrest
Ann Coulter, a right-wing commentator, criticized the arrest, stating that "unless they've committed a crime, isn't this a violation of the first amendment?" Candace Owens also objected to Khalil's arrest, questioning what "specific statement" he made in support of terrorist group Hamas that justified his arrest.
Anti-Defamation League's Support of Khalil's Arrest
The Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights organization dedicated to combating antisemitism, supported the Trump administration's arrest of Khalil, stating that it demonstrated "resolve by holding alleged perpetrators responsible for their actions."
What Columbia Accused Mahmoud Khalil Of
Prior to his arrest, Khalil was one of several students that Columbia was investigating internally over their role in the pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil claimed the allegations were primarily for "social media posts that I had nothing to do with." Columbia threatened to block his transcript and prevent him from graduating after he refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but his attorney appealed the decision.
Unrest at Columbia
Unrest may be rising again at Columbia over how the school is responding to its pro-Palestinian activists, as reported by the AP in late February, when protesters demanded "amnesty" for those disciplined for pro-Palestinian protests and allegedly assaulted a school employee. The student-led group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine has since announced a series of protests and demonstrations at the school, stating, "WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET."
- Columbia University attorneys appealed the school's decision to withhold Mahmoud Khalil's transcript and prevent his graduation, alleging that he was being punished for social media posts that he denied creating.
- The views of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, have been deemed by some to contravene the boundaries of free speech, as per the Trump administration and the Anti-Defamation League.
- Donald Trump and the Trump administration have been accused by civil rights and free speech groups of attempting to target and silence pro-Palestine protesters, such as Mahmoud Khalil, whose arrest they justified as a means to combat antisemitism and pro-terrorist activities.
