Overview

• Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, was denied temporary release by ICE to attend the birth of his first child on April 21, 2025.
• Khalil remains detained in Louisiana, over 1,000 miles from his wife, Noor Abdalla, and their newborn son, who are both reported to be in good health in New York.
• Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident, faces deportation under a 1950s law invoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which allows removal of noncitizens deemed adverse to U.S. foreign policy.
• His legal team is appealing the deportation ruling in immigration and federal courts, arguing the case infringes on free speech and due process rights.
• The case has drawn attention to the personal toll of immigration enforcement and broader concerns about targeting pro-Palestinian activists under national security claims.