A legal proceeding is set for Wednesday in a Manhattan federal court concerning a lawsuit that takes issue with the imprisonment of Mahmoud Khalil. Khalil is a graduate student from Columbia University, whom the Trump administration has marked for deportation due to his role in pro-Palestinian rallies taking place at the institution. Khalil, currently considered a permanent resident in the U.S., was apprehended by immigration enforcement authorities in New York during the weekend. From New York, he was transported to an immigration retention facility situated in Louisiana.
The presiding U.S. District Judge, Jesse Furman, has issued a decree preventing Khalil, age 30, from being deported while the court ponders over the legal objections put forth by his counsel. Advocating for his return to New York and his freedom under surveillance, the team of attorneys posits that the authorities are improperly retaliating against Khalil because of his expressions of views.
In preparation for the Wednesday hearing, a collaborative document was submitted by Khalil’s legal team and representatives from the government. The document reveals the government’s intent to argue against the Southern District of New York being an appropriate legal forum for the case.
Columbia University found itself in the limelight as the epicenter of a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that engulfed college campuses across the nation last year. The widespread demonstrations resulted in over 2,000 detentions.
Donald Trump, the President at that time, touted Khalil’s arrest as the beginning of a series of similar actions to be taken, making a promise to expel students he accused of partaking in activities supporting terrorism and exhibiting anti-Semitic and opposing American sentiments.
Acting as the voice of the dissidents from Columbia University, Khalil however, has not been formally implicated in any criminal activities.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, expressed on Tuesday that the administration’s motion to deport Khalil was justified under a specific provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act. This statute provides allowance for the secretary of state to remove a non-citizen from the country, provided it is a matter centric to foreign policy.
Nonetheless, civil liberties organizations, in conjunction with Khalil’s lawyers, assert that the government is wielding its immigration oversight authority unlawfully. They claim that the government’s attempt to silence Khalil contravenes the constitution.
Khalil met his obligations for a master’s degree at Columbia in December 2020. Originally born in Syria, Khalil bears familial ties to Palestinians who were compelled to flee their native land. These details about Khalil’s heritage and academic credentials were elucidated in the legal documentation provided by his attorneys.
A significant detail about Khalil’s personal life is his marital status. He is married to an American citizen, who is reported to be pregnant with their first child.