In a significant judicial decision, a US court has rejected the government’s request to transfer Mohammed Khalil, an anti-Gaza war activist, to Louisiana and ordered his case to be returned to New Jersey. Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and permanent US resident, was arrested by immigration officers on March 8, 2025.
The political activist faced potential deportation from the United States due to his participation in anti-Gaza war protests at Columbia University campus in 2024. In a letter from detention, he identified himself as a political prisoner, emphasizing that he merely exercised his legal right to freedom of expression.
Khalil’s arrest has sparked several protest rallies and raised serious questions about freedom of speech in academic settings and the legal process for deporting green card holders. His legal team successfully secured a ruling to return the case to New Jersey jurisdiction.
