Judge Orders Release of Columbia Palestinian Activist

A federal judge has ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student, after more than three months in immigration detention. Khalil, a legal US resident and prominent leader of pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza, was arrested in March under the Trump administration's crackdown on student activism. Authorities sought to deport Khalil, citing alleged foreign policy concerns and claims of misinformation on his green card application. Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that Khalil is neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community and called the government's continued detention efforts 'highly, highly unusual.' The ruling allows Khalil to reunite with his wife and newborn child as his legal case continues. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has supported Khalil’s expulsion, but the court found that his activism does not justify detention or deportation.