• A federal judge has barred the Trump administration from deporting Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist.
• Judge Michael Farbiarz questions the government's justification based on foreign policy claims.
• Khalil has faced detention since March 8, raising concerns around his civil liberties.
• The ruling allows time for the government to appeal before potential release.
• Critics view the case as part of a broader effort to silence pro-Palestine advocacy.

A federal judge in New Jersey has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from deporting or continuing to detain Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and lawful permanent resident. Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that there was no compelling interest in keeping Khalil detained, who has been held at a Louisiana immigration detention center since an arrest in early March, highlighting the absence of substantial evidence for the government's claims against him according to BBC, ABC News, and Al Jazeera.

This ruling emerged as Khalil's case gained prominence among activist circles, with supporters arguing that his arrest is part of a broader suppression of pro-Palestine advocacy in the U.S. The judge's decision came in response to claims made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who argued that Khalil's presence posed "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." However, Farbiarz criticized the legal basis for this argument, indicating that it violates Khalil's right to free speech, as he asserted that the administration was effectively damaging Khalil’s reputation and career due to these allegations according to ABC News and Al Jazeera.

Khalil has been under scrutiny since his arrest on March 8, 2025, when ICE agents apprehended him at his apartment building in New York City. The Trump administration's focus on his immigration status intensified as Khalil's activism attracted national attention. While he has challenged the government's accusations of anti-Semitism and support for Hamas, no evidence substantiating those claims has been presented in court, raising further questions about the legitimacy of the allegations against him according to BBC and Al Jazeera.