A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that a lower court judge did not have the legal authority to order the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian activist, in a decision that could allow federal authorities to take him back into custody.
The 2–1 ruling sided with the Donald Trump administration, which argued that immigration enforcement decisions fall under the jurisdiction of federal immigration courts rather than district judges. The decision clears the way for the government to continue deportation proceedings against Khalil under existing federal immigration law.
Continue reading on next page…