Newark, New Jersey: Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil will remain in detention in Louisiana while a U.S. judge deliberates whether his legal challenge should be heard in a federal court there or in New Jersey. Khalil, a Palestinian activist, was arrested by immigration agents earlier this month, a move his lawyers argue is politically motivated due to his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The Trump administration maintains that Khalil’s case should be adjudicated in Louisiana, where he is currently detained and where appeals would fall under the jurisdiction of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, known for its conservative stance. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark, New Jersey, did not specify when he would issue a ruling but expressed confidence in the impartiality of the judicial system.
“Judges are judges, and they’re going to see things the same way in whatever place,” Farbiarz stated during the hearing on Friday.
The administration has defended its actions against Khalil, arguing that his detention aligns with broader efforts to remove foreign nationals who allegedly threaten U.S. foreign policy interests. Khalil’s attorneys contend that his arrest is an attempt to suppress student activism and that he has not been charged with any crime.
His legal team has petitioned for his release from the Louisiana facility while he fights a deportation case in immigration court. They stress the urgency of the matter, noting that Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, a U.S. citizen, is expecting their first child in April. Khalil was initially held in a New Jersey detention center following his arrest in Manhattan before being transferred to Louisiana.
The government has requested that either Khalil’s case be moved to a federal court in Louisiana or that the proceedings in New Jersey be dismissed, leaving him to contest his detention in Louisiana.
The Trump administration has revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign students accused of participating in campus protests against U.S. military aid to Israel. Officials assert that international students involved in such demonstrations undermine U.S. foreign policy interests.
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Khalil, born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, arrived in the U.S. on a student visa in 2022 and secured legal permanent residency in 2023. However, the government claims he failed to disclose in his application that he was allegedly a “member” of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Khalil and his legal representatives clarify that he completed an unpaid internship at UNRWA’s New York office as part of his Columbia University master’s program, an experience that was included in his application.
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Furthermore, authorities allege that Khalil did not accurately report his employment history, asserting that he continued working for the British embassy in Beirut beyond 2022. Khalil’s legal team refutes this claim, stating that he truthfully indicated he left the position upon departing Beirut. A spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed that Khalil ended his employment with the embassy more than two years ago.
