A federal magistrate has eased movement limitations within the US for Mahmoud Khalil, permitting him to speak at gatherings and various engagements across the nation while he fights efforts to remove him.
The activist, who was freed from a Louisiana detention center in June after being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid wider enforcement actions, had requested a federal magistrate judge to lift the restrictions that had confined his movement to certain locations.
At a virtual proceeding, his legal representative stated that her client “desires to move for the very significant free speech concerns that are at the heart of this case.”
“He wants to speak issues of public concern,” the lawyer noted, citing the constitutional protection to free expression.
Mahmoud Khalil on detention, liberation and federal custody: ‘It was a blatant act of cruelty’
However, the federal attorney, who objected to the move, argued that the respondent “has not offered enough of a justification why he couldn’t attend these and other events remotely.”
The judge the presiding official consented to permit the activist to travel, stating that he was not considered a flight risk and had not violated any of his bail terms.
The judge concurred with the prosecution that Khalil is obligated to notify federal authorities about his itinerary.
The activist, who is a legal green card holder, was arrested by federal officers in March following his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia, an prestigious school in NY.
The administration claims it had the authority to arrest and deport Khalil, arguing that his status in the US is a threat to national security. A further claim is that he omitted details about his employment background and membership in groups on his petition for a green card.
Following his freedom, the activist said he intended to continue his criticism of the institution for what supporters view as its acquiescence to government directives to curb certain speech and address threats against students on university grounds.
