Federal Judge Halts U.S. from Deporting Palestinian Columbia Graduate
(MENAFN) A federal judge in the United States issued a ruling Wednesday temporarily halting Secretary of State Marco Rubio from deporting Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian and Columbia University graduate.
District Judge Michael Farbiarz, presiding in New Jersey, approved Khalil’s emergency request to prevent federal authorities from proceeding with his removal from the country.
Khalil, who holds lawful permanent residency, has been confined at a detention center in Louisiana since his March arrest. He was taken into custody in the lobby of a university-owned building in New York City where he resided.
His legal team has been seeking his release, arguing he should be reunited with his wife and newborn son, Deen. The Trump administration had previously revoked his permanent residency, alleging his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Columbia’s campus justified the action.
Rubio invoked a rarely used clause from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which empowers the Secretary of State to expel individuals if their presence is deemed to potentially impact U.S. foreign policy interests.
Judge Farbiarz, however, rejected Rubio’s use of that authority. He cited the potential damage to Khalil’s professional standing and reputation, as well as a broader threat to his freedom of expression. “This adds up to irreparable harm,” he stated.
A news agency noted, "The judge's decision comes after several other legal residents targeted for their activism won custody in recent weeks, including another Palestinian student at Columbia, Mohsen Mahdawi, a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk, and a Georgetown University scholar, Badar Khan Suri."
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