US Federal Judge Orders Release of Mahmoud Khalil
Court Cites Irreparable Harm and Constitutional Concerns in Decision to Free Pro-Palestinian Activist
- Publish date: since 23 hour
In a significant victory for free speech and immigrant rights, a federal judge has ordered the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student and lawful U.S. resident who has been detained since March this year over his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The ruling, issued on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, by U.S. District J
Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey, marks a crucial development in a case that has drawn widespread attention and raised concerns about the Trump administration's crackdown on campus activism.
The ruling issued states, "The Court finds as a matter of fact that the Petitioner’s career and reputation are being damaged and his speech is being chilled — and this adds up to irreparable harm.”
The judge previously said that the government's efforts to deport Khalil based on foreign policy are "likely unconstitutional".
The order will not take effect until this Friday, and he has to post a $ 1 bond. Khalil has been detained at an immigration detention center in Louisiana and was denied temporary release to visit his wife after the birth of their first child.
Khalil was the first known student activist detained as part of US President Donald Trump's bid to deport foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses in the US.
Khalil's order for release follows the release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi and Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk.