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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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A federal judge has denied the Department of Justice's request to move Mahmoud Khalil's case to Louisiana, where he has been held since his arrest at his New York City home last month.
U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz, in a written ruling, said that Columbia University graduate Kahlil's case should remain in New Jersey because that's where he was when his attorneys filed a habeas corpus motion challenging his detention.
The DOJ has argued that Kahlil's case should be heard in Louisiana, where he would be subject to the conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, because that's where he is being detained. Farbiarz called the argument "unpersuasive."
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The Context
Khalil's arrest and attempts to deport the green card holder are part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to target students and activists with pro-Palestinian views.
The outcome of Khalil's case is likely to have a ripple effect on other campus protesters targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), such as Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, from Turkey, and Georgetown University Professor Dr. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national.
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What To Know
The Trump administration is relying on an 18th-century wartime statute that allows the secretary of state to deport noncitizens deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests.
U.S. officials have also alleged that Syrian-born Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen, omitted certain details from his immigration paperwork, including past employment at a British embassy and an internship at an agency for Palestinian refugees.
Khalil's attorney, Baher Azmy, said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday that he was grateful that the court "wisely understood that the government cannot try to manipulate the jurisdiction of the United States courts in a transparent attempt to shield their unconstitutional – and frankly chilling – behavior."
This is the DOJ's second attempt to shift the jurisdiction of Khalil's case.
Despite being arrested at his Columbia University apartment in Manhattan, the Trump administration successfully argued the case should be moved from New York to New Jersey. The Justice Department then filed another motion to move the case to Louisiana.
What People Are Saying
Attorney Azmy said outside a Newark court on Friday, "Everyone is watching to see whether or not, like him, like Rumeysa, like Doctor Suri, they will be arrested at night by ICE officers, sometimes not uniformed, and disappeared into Louisiana."
Khalil's eight-month pregnant wife, Noor Abdalla, said in a statement Tuesday, "This is an important step towards securing Mahmoud's freedom, but there is still a lot more to be done. As the countdown to our son's birth begins, and I inch closer and closer to my due date, I will continue to strongly advocate for Mahmoud's freedom and for his safe return home so he can be by my side to welcome our first child," she added.
Amol Sinha, executive director of ACLU New Jersey, said outside court on Friday, "As we await the court's ruling, what I am reminded of is the egregious nature of what the government has done. It is anti-democratic, un-American, illegal and unconstitutional to suppress speech, censor somebody, detain them and attempt to deport them and revoke their green card for speaking their mind."
What Happens Next
The next hearing will determine if Khalil can be released from ICE detention while the legal case continues. He is also set to appear before an immigration judge on April 8 for removal proceedings.
Update 04/01/25 7:38 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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