‘Historic ruling’: Free speech triumphs as judge orders pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil MUST be released

The arrest of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was a canary in the coalmine moment for free speech. Khalil, who is pro-Palestinian and was prominent in the Columbia University protests against the Gaza war, was snatched from his university apartment by ICE in early March 2025.

The ICE goons broke in without a warrant, his status as a lawful permanent resident was being revoked, and the government has been doing its absolute best to deport him and promote him as a warning of what happens when you hold beliefs that run counter to the ruling Trumpist ideology.

It should be underlined there has never been any criminal charge or allegations against Khalil, with the government leaning on a McCarthyist law from 1952 that allows deportation on the grounds of a person “having serious negative consequences for U.S. foreign policy”. Since his arrest Khalil has been imprisoned in the hellish LaSalle Detention Center in Louisiana, while his lawyers and free speech advocates argue for his release.

BREAKING: A federal judge just ruled that Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil can be neither detained nor deported by the trump admin.

HUGE WIN for free speech and due process!!! pic.twitter.com/492GUv7zsJ

— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) June 11, 2025

Now they’ve won a big victory. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz has ruled that the government is forbidden from deporting or continuing to detain Khalil simply for holding beliefs counter to government policy. The ruling said the state’s attack Khalil’s right to free speech is causing “irreparable harm” and set a date of 09.30 am on June 13 for his release from custody.

The Trump regime continues to insist that Khalil is a Hamas-supporting antisemite but, as is noted, they have yet to offer any evidence whatsoever to prove that this is the case. They also allege he “was not fully transparent” on his green card application but again have failed to produce any evidence or examples of what he’s supposed to have done.

The long road to freedom

Unfortunately, despite a release date now being set, Khalil is unlikely to see freedom on Friday. Trump officials are determined to make an example of him as a warning shot against further anti-genocide activists, so they will doubtless launch appeal after appeal until they get a MAGA judge willing to rubberstamp government policy.

If there’s a silver lining it’s that the facts are clearly on Khalil’s side. He has a cast-iron free speech defense for his political views backed by innumerable Constitutional precedents, and its noted that even if it’s proved there’s an error on his green card application, that’s not grounds for an extended period of imprisonment.

Here’s hoping he can once again taste free air soon, and that the free speech principles that are at the bedrock of the United States Constitution are honored.