(NewsNation) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the removal of a Columbia University graduate student who led pro-Palestinian protests, ordering that he cannot be deported while the court considers the petition.
U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman of the Southern District of New York issued the order Monday for Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who helped lead campus protests urging Columbia to cut financial ties with Israel.
The Department of Homeland Security said Khalil was detained Saturday under President Donald Trump’s executive order banning antisemitism, though he has not been charged with any crimes.
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The judge scheduled a conference for Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. after his lawyers filed a lawsuit challenging his detention.
A Palestinian green card holder, Khalil earned his master’s degree in December, and his wife, a U.S. citizen, is eight months pregnant.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the arrest, saying the U.S. will revoke visas and green cards of Hamas supporters, though no evidence has been provided linking Khalil to Hamas.
Trump called Khalil a “radical foreign pro-Hamas student” on Truth Social, stating that supporters of terrorism are not welcome in the U.S.
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After his arrest in New York, Khalil was flown to an immigration jail in Louisiana.
Khalil’s detention drew outrage from civil rights groups and free speech advocates, who accused the administration of using its immigration enforcement powers to squelch criticism of Israel.
Typically, expelling a person who has permanent residency in the U.S. requires a high bar, such as that person being convicted of certain types of crimes.
He’s the first person known to be detained for deportation under Trump’s promised crackdown on student protests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
