Federal Judge Blocks Deportation of Columbia's Mahmoud Khalil After ICE Arrest by Trump Administration

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, while a legal challenge to his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considered. Khalil, who holds a green card, was detained on Saturday in New York and is currently held at a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. His wife, who is eight months pregnant, is a U.S. citizen. The arrest of Khalil, who has been a prominent figure in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia and a member of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, has sparked outrage among civil rights groups and free speech advocates. They argue that the Trump administration is using immigration enforcement to suppress criticism of Israel and the war in Gaza. President Donald Trump has warned that Khalil's arrest, which he attributes to his executive orders prohibiting antisemitism and allegations of Khalil's support for Hamas, is the first of many in a crackdown on campus demonstrations against Israel. Khalil's lawyers have filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention, asserting it is retaliatory for his advocacy on Palestinian human rights. A court hearing for Khalil is scheduled for Wednesday, and the judge's order ensures he remains in the U.S. until further notice from the court.