Palestinian Activist Khalil Granted Contact Visit in Detention \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A federal judge granted detained Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil the right to hold his newborn son after ICE attempted to deny physical contact. Khalil, arrested amid Trump’s pro-Palestinian protest crackdown, remains in detention without criminal charges. His deportation case continues as advocates decry his treatment as politically motivated.
Quick Looks
- Emotional Reunion: Judge blocks ICE, lets Khalil hold infant son.
- Arrested Protester: First detained under Trump’s protest crackdown.
- Political Backlash: Advocates call detention retaliatory for Gaza protests.
- Denied Birth Visit: ICE refused Khalil’s request to attend son’s birth.
- ICE Objections: Officials cited “security concerns” over contact visit.
- Judicial Intervention: Judge Farbiarz overrules plan for plexiglass separation.
- Ongoing Case: Deportation appeal pending, closing arguments due June 2.
- Support Grows: Columbia faculty, students testify to Khalil’s character.
Deep Look
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist, Columbia University graduate, and legal U.S. resident, finally held his newborn son on Thursday—an intimate moment that became a focal point of a growing legal and political struggle. Khalil, who has been in immigration detention since March 8, was granted a contact visit by a federal judge after the Trump administration sought to keep him separated from his family by a plexiglass barrier.
The ruling came from Judge Michael Farbiarz of the U.S. District Court in New Jersey late Wednesday, overruling objections by federal authorities and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who insisted that allowing Khalil to hold his baby would create an unfair precedent. Until that point, ICE planned to only permit a “non-contact” visit, preventing Khalil from physically touching his son or wife, Noor Abdalla.
Khalil is the first person detained under President Donald Trump’s recent crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Though not charged with any criminal offense, he remains in custody while facing deportation proceedings, a case that has drawn national attention for its implications around civil liberties and political dissent.
ICE officials argue that Khalil’s activism—particularly his leadership role in organizing protests against Israel’s war in Gaza—may conflict with U.S. foreign policy interests, thereby justifying his removal. Khalil’s supporters, however, argue that his arrest and remote detention in a Louisiana jail amount to political retaliation and violate his constitutional rights.
The stakes grew more personal after ICE denied Khalil permission to attend the April 21 birth of his son, Deen, igniting public outrage. His lawyers then fought to secure a visitation, sparking a tense legal battle that culminated in this week’s court order.
“This is not just heartless,” said Noor Abdalla, Khalil’s wife. “It is deliberate violence, the calculated cruelty of a government that tears families apart without remorse.”
Abdalla traveled over 1,500 miles to the remote Louisiana facility, hoping to let her husband meet their son. ICE officials, including acting field office director Brian Acuna, insisted in court filings that it would be “unsafe” to allow a newborn and mother into a secure area of the detention facility.
In their response, Khalil’s legal team described the policy as “further evidence of the retaliatory motive” behind his arrest. They emphasized that Abdalla and her infant son posed no security threat, arguing the government’s actions were excessive and rooted in ideology rather than protocol.
While Farbiarz’s ruling allowed Thursday’s emotional reunion, Khalil’s legal troubles are far from over. On the same day, he appeared in front of immigration judge Jamee Comans to contest a previous ruling that permits his deportation to Syria or Algeria—countries where his lawyers argue he would face persecution.
Khalil, who was raised in a refugee camp in Syria and maintains Algerian citizenship through a distant relative, has appealed the deportation ruling. His attorneys submitted testimony from Columbia University faculty and students, highlighting his leadership, academic achievements, and commitment to nonviolence.
In a written statement, Joseph Howley, a professor of classics at Columbia, described Khalil as a “principled and well-respected member” of the university community, noting his vocal opposition to antisemitism and his ability to act as a unifying voice during campus protests.
“I have never known Mahmoud to espouse any anti-Jewish sentiments,” Howley wrote, “and have heard him forcefully reject antisemitism on multiple occasions.”
The hearing ended without a final decision. Judge Comans gave both sides until 5 p.m. on June 2 to submit final arguments before a ruling is issued.
Meanwhile, Khalil’s absence continues to be felt back at Columbia. At Wednesday’s commencement, interim university president Claire Shipman acknowledged Khalil’s situation, prompting loud boos and chants of “Free Mahmoud” from graduates in attendance.
What began as a politically charged immigration detention has evolved into a high-profile legal case intersecting issues of family rights, free speech, and U.S. policy toward Middle Eastern activism. As Khalil’s fate hangs in the balance, his brief, court-ordered meeting with his son serves as both a humanizing moment—and a stark symbol of the broader debate unfolding around his case.
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