Protests grow in NYC over Columbia University pro-Palestinian activist’s arrest as judge says he can’t be deported yet

A judge is slamming the brakes on the Trump administration’s attempt to deport a pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University’s 2024 student encampment protests. 

The judge ordered the Trump administration and attorneys for Mahmoud Khalil to appear for a conference Wednesday morning at 11:30 a.m. at court in Lower Manhattan.

“To preserve the Court’s jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, [Khalil] shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise,” Judge Jesse Furman wrote.

Khalil was arrested Saturday night at his university-owned apartment by federal immigration authorities. Amy Greer, Khalil’s attorney, said they claimed they were acting on a State Department order to revoke Khalil’s student visa and green card. 

Khalil is being held in Jena, Louisiana awaiting immigration court proceedings that might result in his deportation, according to the Associated Press. 

President Trump said Monday that Khalil’s arrest was just the first “of many to come.” 

Khalil’s arrest was “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism,” alleging the former student “led activities aligned to Hamas,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. It did not provide details of any charges or crimes.  

Protesters take to the streets in Lower Manhattan 

Word of the judge’s decision comes as protesters took to the streets of Manhattan to demonstrate against Khalil’s arrest. Demonstrators gathered at Foley Square to call for his release. That group of protesters then started marching through Lower Manhattan. Video from Chopper 2 showed at least one protester being taken into custody. 

“Mr. Khalil has been detained despite being a legal permanent resident, which officials are threatening to strip away — a direct flouting of this country’s immigration laws. Equally disturbing is the infringement of Mr. Khalil’s First Amendment rights and the broader implications for free speech and peaceful activism in this country,” said Theo Oshiro, of the group Make The Road States. 

In a message to the Columbia University community Monday, the school’s interim president said the arrest and previous suspension of $400 million in federal funds “a challenging moment for our community.” 

“Columbia University exists to serve the United States and the world, by teaching, creating, and advancing knowledge. We pursue that mission through freedom of expression, open inquiry, a wide range of perspectives, and respectful debate. These are Columbia’s values, they are America’s values, they are essential to a functioning democracy, and we will fight for them. We do this for our students and for our future,” Katrina Armstrong wrote. “All eyes are on Columbia at present. It falls to us to ensure our University, and indeed the values of higher education more broadly, survive and thrive.”

Armstrong said the the university will “work tirelessly” to fulfill its mission and take “a methodical and thoughtful approach to addressing the multitude of challenges ahead of us.” 

“We will follow the law, as has always been the case,” Armstrong wrote. “It remains the long-standing practice of the University, and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings.”