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Federal judge says case of detained Columbia grad student should remain in New Jersey
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 1, 2025
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Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Corbis via Getty Images
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 1, 2025
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A federal judge has ruled that the lawsuit challenging the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and lawful permanent U.S. resident, will proceed in New Jersey — not Louisiana, where Khalil is currently being held nearly 1,500 miles from his family.
The decision, announced by the New York Civil Liberties Union and its legal partners on Monday, marks the second time a court has rejected the Trump administration’s attempts to move Khalil’s case to a Louisiana court. Attorneys argued the government’s actions were an attempt to suppress dissent and limit access to legal counsel by transferring Khalil across state lines in the middle of the night.
"The Court’s jurisdiction is not defeated by the Petitioner having been moved to Louisiana," U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz wrote in the decision.
Khalil’s legal team is pushing for a preliminary injunction that would secure his release and block the administration from targeting other noncitizens engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy. His lawyers said the Trump administration relied on a vague clause in the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act to justify his detention — a move they called unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech.
“With this ruling, the Court has rightfully reaffirmed that Mahmoud Khalil’s case belongs in New Jersey — significantly closer to his wife, community, and legal counsel,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman.
The federal government has not commented on the ruling.
Khalil was a prominent voice in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia before being detained on March 8.
His case follows a broader federal crackdown: last month, a judge blocked ICE from detaining another student, Yunseo Chung, who is also suing over her alleged targeting for protest involvement.
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Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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