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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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New Jersey District Court Judge Michael Farbiarz has granted Mahmoud Khalil's request for a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking federal officials from deporting him.
The judge said in his Wednesday filing that he had granted the Columbia University graduate's request for a preliminary injunction, stating Khalil could not be detained based on Secretary of State Marco Rubio's determination that his actions as a pro-Palestinian activist went against U.S. foreign policy.
The government has been given until 9:30 a.m. Friday to file its response.
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Newsweek reached out to the Department of Justice for comment via contact form Wednesday evening.
Why It Matters
Khalil's detention on March 8 marked the beginning of increased enforcement action by the Trump administration against foreign students who had taken part in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. While others detained have been released, Khalil remained in custody, missing the birth of his first child.
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What To Know
Judge Farbiarz said in his filing Wednesday that Khalil could be released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in Louisiana as soon as Friday morning because of the injunction.
His release and leave to remain in the U.S. for now will only be able to happen if the Trump administration does not seek appellate review and if Khalil can post a $1 bond.
Farbiarz appeared to agree with Khalil's claims that he had lost work over his detention, that his speech had been chilled as a result of it, and his reputation was damaged.
The judge also said that Khalil had no criminal history, and the administration had not provided any evidence to the contrary.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that Khalil failed to accurately complete his application for his green card and that this could be a reason for permanent resident status being revoked.
Farbiarz said that may lead to Khalil being detained again but that this was unlikely as lawful permanent residents were "virtually never detained pending removal" for something as small as a form error.
"And that strongly suggests that it is the Secretary of State's determination that drives the Petitioner's ongoing detention — not the other charge against him," the judge wrote.
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Khalil was detained in the lobby of his apartment building by federal agents, with DHS and Secretary of State Marco Rubio later saying that he had been detained over his actions as a leading figure in pro-Palestinian protests on Columbia's campus, which go against U.S. foreign policy.
Khalil worked as a mediator between protesters and Columbia University during protests on the campus in 2023 and 2024. His arrest sparked outrage on the campus and across the country and marked the beginning of a crackdown on student visa holders who took part in similar actions.
Despite his initial detention in New Jersey, Khalil was moved to Jena, Louisiana, where he has remained for the past three months. An immigration judge there did rule he was deportable, but this is still being challenged.
What People Are Saying
Dr. Noor Abdalla, Mahmoud Khalil's wife, in a press release: "This is the news we've been waiting over three months for. Mahmoud must be released immediately and safely returned home to New York to be with me and our newborn baby, Deen. True justice would mean Mahmoud was never taken away from us in the first place, that no Palestinian father, from New York to Gaza, would have to endure the painful separation of prison walls like Mahmoud has. I will not rest until Mahmoud is free, and hope that he can be with us to experience his first Father's Day at home in New York with Deen in his arms."
Baher Azmy, legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and one of Khalil's attorneys, in a press release: "We are relieved that the court documented what was obvious to the world, which is that the government's vindictive and unconstitutional arrest, detention and attempted deportation of Mahmoud for his Palestinian activism is causing him and his family agonizing personal and professional harm. We look forward to his reunion with his wife and newborn son, and for this remarkable, brilliant man to reclaim his life and his reputation."
Farbiarz, in his Wednesday filing: "The Respondents have not contested the evidence put forward by the Petitioner, and in light of that 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."
Aaron Terr, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) director of public advocacy, told Newsweek via email: "The idea that a college student's peaceful participation in pro-Palestinian protests could seriously compromise U.S. foreign policy was always far-fetched. The court's ruling confirms what many long suspected: Khalil was targeted not for his actions, but for his opinions."
What's Next
If the government does not seek appellate review, the preliminary injunction would go into effect at 9:30 a.m. Friday ET.
Update: 6/11/25, 7:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with further comments.
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