Freed Columbia student vows to continue protesting Israel’s war in Gaza
After 104 days in a Louisiana detention center, Mahmoud Khalil returned to the tri-state area on Saturday.
He spoke to reporters at Newark Liberty International Airport with his wife and newborn son to thank supporters, according to abc7ny.
“Thank you so much for everything you do. Not just today, but every day. Just like your words, your support, your messages keep me going. However, this fight is far from over,” Khalil said.
Khalil, a permanent resident and green card holder, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his home on the Columbia University campus in March.
The Trump administration charged the graduate student with participating in pro-Palestinian protests on campus last summer and promoting anti-Semitism.
Khalil was released on Friday.
“Even if they threaten to detain me, I will speak up for Palestine again. Even if they kill me, I will still speak up for Palestine again. I just want to go back to the work that I’ve been doing advocating for Palestinian rights, and my speech should be encouraged, not punished like this administration has done,” Khalil said.
The same day he was released, a federal immigration judge ordered his deportation.
The government filed a notice on Friday that it would appeal Khalil’s release, arguing that an immigration judge, not a district judge, has the authority to decide whether he should be detained or released.
Khalil’s legal team argues that this is not how the constitutional system works.
“A federal judge reviewed the constitutional arguments that were made and performed the duties of a federal judge. Immigration judges essentially work for the Department of Homeland Security and reaffirm DHS policy. It’s important, by the way, that the federal judge is the sixth judge to rule against the administration,” said attorney Baher Azmi.
Khalil had to surrender his passport to authorities before being released, and he was only allowed to travel to a few states to visit his parents-in-law, attend lawyer conferences and appear in court.
