Overview

• On July 10, Khalil filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the State Department demanding $20 million or a public apology.
• The complaint alleges he was held for 104 days under a Cold War–era immigration law, facing unlawful detention, malicious prosecution and defamation.
• Khalil’s attorneys say the detention caused emotional trauma, financial hardship and reputational harm, including missing his child’s birth while held in Louisiana.
• A federal judge ordered his release on bail in June, finding that his First Amendment rights had been violated during his imprisonment.
• Government spokespeople have dismissed the claims as “absurd,” insisting all actions were fully authorized under existing statutes.