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Arrested Columbia Student to Remain in Louisiana, Judge Orders
More than 100 demonstrators gather outside courthouse, with many signs supporting Mahmoud Khalil
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âA federal judge said that Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University student arrested after his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, would remain in Louisiana for now.
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman set a schedule Wednesday for the lawyers to present written arguments later this week. He said that his order to keep Khalil in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana was due not to the merits of any arguments, but to provide time to address the âimportant issues that this case raises.â
Among those is in what court Khalilâs case should be heard. Lawyers for the government argued that the case shouldnât be decided by a judge in New York, but rather in New Jersey, where he was first booked and processed, or in Louisiana, where he was he was transferred to this past weekend. Khalilâs lawyers pushed for him to be returned to New York as soon as possible.
Separately, Furman directed that Khalilâs lawyers be allowed phone calls with their client on Wednesday and Thursday. âOur access to our client is severely limited by the fact that he is in Louisiana,â said Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer for Khalil. âŚ
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Khalil, who completed coursework for a masterâs degree from Columbiaâs School of International and Public Affairs in December, was one of the leaders of last yearâs protests and spoke with national media about the studentsâ efforts. His lawyer said he planned to walk in the graduation ceremony this spring.
Columbiaâs interim president Katrina Armstrong said Wednesday that she stood by all of her students and supported their right to express their views.
When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were arresting Khalil, his lawyer said, she spoke over the phone to one of the agents on the scene who told her the State Department had revoked Khalilâs student visa. She told the agent that Khalil was a lawful permanent resident and he replied that the department also had revoked that and hung up, she said.
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Khalilâs wife, a U.S. citizen who was with him at the time of his arrest, said Tuesday that agents didnât provide a warrant. Khalil entered the country in 2022 on a student visa before gaining lawful permanent residency in 2024.
âU.S. immigration ripped my soul from me when they handcuffed my husband and forced him into an unmarked vehicle,â Khalilâs wife said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said Sunday that ICE agents arrested Khalil in compliance with President Trumpâs executive orders targeting antisemitism. Trump said Monday that Khalilâs arrest would be the first of many.
A Department of Homeland Security document, dated March 9, said Khalil was deportable from the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to remove a person when they have reasonable ground to believe that personâs presence âwould have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequencesâ for the U.S. âŚâ