Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University activist detained by immigration agents, was not presented with a warrant upon his arrest in March, despite earlier claims by the agents that they had one. This admission by the Trump administration has led to criticism of the agents’ conduct and calls for the termination of deportation proceedings against Khalil. The detainment of Khalil, who has not been accused of any crime, has been seen as part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests by the Trump administration. Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian with a green card and an asylum application, is married to a U.S. citizen and his lawyers are seeking his return to New Jersey from Louisiana where he is currently held.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the actions of the immigration agents, stating they had “exigent circumstances” to conduct a warrantless arrest due to Khalil being considered a “flight risk.” However, Khalil’s lawyers dispute this claim, arguing it is contradicted by witness testimony and video evidence of the arrest. The lawyers also accuse the Trump administration of attempting to justify the unlawful arrest and detention of Khalil.
Khalil’s case is ongoing, with a judge ruling in Louisiana that deportation efforts can proceed, while a federal lawsuit in New Jersey challenges his detention on constitutional grounds. The admission that no warrant was presented at the time of Khalil’s arrest has raised further concerns about the government’s actions in this case.
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