A New Jersey federal judge ordered the release on bail of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University and a legal permanent U.S. resident, who has been detained in immigration custody since his March arrest. Accused of lying on his green card application, his detention became the flashpoint for Trump-era anti-Palestinian activism on American campuses.
/*Court's Ruling and Bail Conditions*/
US District Court Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled on June 20, 2025, that Khalil's detention was "highly, highly unusual" since he was not a flight risk and did not have violent criminal charges filed against him. His bail was fixed at $1, allowing him to live in closer proximity to his wife and newborn son in New York. He has to surrender his passport and green card and restrict his travel to New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., to comply with court and immigration hearings.
/*Allegations Against Khalil*/
Khalil was detained on March 8 in his apartment in New York by ICE agents. The government argues that he omitted material from his green card application and might harm U.S. foreign policy since he has been a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia's protest camp. But Judge Farbiarz had already stopped deportation on foreign-policy grounds and held that the government produced no credible evidence to justify his arrest as a security threat.
/*National Implications and Activism*/
Khalil's case has received public scrutiny as an emblem of the Trump-era targeting of campus activist organizations, especially about Israel–Gaza protests. His release, along with that of other student activists like Mohsen Mahdawi, stirs controversy regarding civil liberties and U.S. immigration policy. Immigration authorities continue to appeal the release, and appeals are expected from the Department of Homeland Security.
/*First Words of Freedom: Khalil Speaks*/
Following his release on bail, Mahmoud Khalil spoke to reporters, stating that his detention "shouldn't have taken three months." He remarked that "justice prevailed, but it's very long overdue." Khalil commented that "Trump and his administration, they chose the wrong person for this," and stated, "there's no right person who should be detained for actually protesting a genocide." He also noted, "Whether you are a U.S. citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land doesn't mean that you are less of a human."
Khalil expressed his relief at being reunited with his wife, Noor Abdalla, and their newborn son, Deen, mentioning, "Now I can actually hug him and Noor, my wife, without looking at the clock." He described leaving "incredible men" behind in the detention facility, hoping it would one day be converted into a museum that would symbolize "America's racist policies against immigrants." Khalil characterized his experience in the facility by saying, "The moment you enter this facility, your rights leave you behind," and added that it showed him "a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice." He also stated, "Justice will prevail no matter what this administration may try.
/*Next Steps in Deportation Proceedings*/
Even though he was released on bail, Khalil continues to face immigration problems: an immigration judge in Louisiana had already denied his asylum application and upheld removal proceedings based on alleged green-card omissions. His attorneys plan appeals, arguing detention for his words is a constitutional violation. His passport surrender and restraint on travel become effective pending future hearings.