Judge Stops Trump Admin From Moving Khalil’s Legal Battle

A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to move Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation case to Louisiana, keeping the legal battle in New Jersey courts and delivering a setback to the White House’s efforts to deport the Columbia University student activist.

Quick Takes

US District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that Khalil’s case must remain in New Jersey where he was originally detained, not Louisiana where he is currently held.
This marks the second failed attempt by the Trump administration to move the case to the more conservative 5th Circuit Court jurisdiction.
Khalil, a legal US resident with a green card, faces deportation under a rarely invoked statute claiming his presence has “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”
His lawyers argue the deportation is retaliation for his participation in pro-Palestinian campus protests.
Khalil’s wife, expecting their child on April 28, has expressed relief at the ruling while acknowledging the case is far from over.

Judge Rebuffs Administration’s Jurisdictional Maneuver

U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz delivered a clear rebuke to the Trump administration’s legal strategy, ruling that Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation case must remain in New Jersey courts despite his current detention in Louisiana. In his ruling, Farbiarz emphasized that jurisdiction was established when Khalil filed his petition while confined in New Jersey, stating that the petition “as filed on March 9 at 4:40am, can go forward in New Jersey because that is where the Petitioner was confined at that moment.”

The decision represents a significant procedural victory for Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student with legal permanent resident status. Government attorneys had sought to transfer the case to Louisiana, where the more conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction, a move widely seen as an attempt to secure a more favorable legal venue for the administration’s deportation efforts.

Judge Farbiarz dismissed the government’s arguments as “unpersuasive,” further ruling that “The Court’s jurisdiction is not defeated by the Petitioner having been moved to Louisiana.” This marks the second unsuccessful attempt by the administration to transfer the case out of the New Jersey jurisdiction.

A federal judge has ruled that the legal battle over Mahmoud Khalil's deportation should continue to play out in New Jersey, rejecting the Trump administration's bid to transfer the Columbia University protester's case to Louisiana. https://t.co/f38Z9XLvyL

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 1, 2025

Rare Deportation Statute Invoked Against Campus Activist

The Trump administration’s deportation effort relies on an unusual and rarely invoked legal provision allowing for the removal of non-citizens whose “presence or activities” are deemed to have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” Khalil’s case represents the first high-profile use of this provision against campus protesters since President Trump took office in 2025 and began implementing stricter immigration enforcement policies targeting political activists.

Khalil was initially detained in New York before being transferred to New Jersey, and then abruptly moved to a detention facility in Louisiana. His legal team argues this pattern of transfers was deliberately orchestrated to put him in a jurisdiction with courts more likely to side with the administration’s deportation efforts and to physically remove him from his family and legal support network in the Northeast.

Family Awaits Birth While Fighting Deportation

As the legal battle unfolds, Khalil’s personal circumstances add urgency to the case. His wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, is expecting their child on April 28, and his legal team has requested his release from detention to be present for the birth. Following the court’s decision, Abdalla expressed cautious optimism, describing the ruling as an “important step towards securing Mahmoud’s freedom.”

The Justice Department has defended its actions, with attorney August Flentje arguing the transfer request was made “for jurisdictional certainty.” However, this position failed to persuade Judge Farbiarz, who determined that the government’s claimed clerical error in the case did not justify moving proceedings to Louisiana. With jurisdiction now firmly established in New Jersey, Khalil’s attorneys can proceed with arguments challenging the constitutionality of his detention and the deportation proceedings.

The case has drawn significant attention as a test of the administration’s approach to campus activism, particularly regarding protests against U.S. military support for Israel. Critics argue the case represents a troubling precedent of using immigration enforcement to target political speech, while supporters of the administration maintain that non-citizens engaged in disruptive protests should face consequences for their actions.