Mahmoud Khalil Released from Detention

Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, was released from federal immigration detention after 104 days. His release followed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz, who stated that the government had not met the standards for detaining a legal U.S. resident who was not a flight risk or danger. Khalil was the first person arrested under the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The United States government, through the United States — United States Department of Homeland Security, is appealing his release and continues to pursue deportation based on allegations that Mahmoud Khalil lied on his green card application, an accusation he disputes. Immigration Judge Jamee Comans had previously ordered Mahmoud Khalil's removal and denied his bail and asylum requests. This case has become a symbol of the debate over free speech and due process rights for non-citizens in the United States.