by Met Middleson

June 20, 2025

Judge Michael Farbiarz announced in federal court that Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate and legal U.S. resident, will be released from custody. Judge Farbiarz called it “highly unusual” that the government would continue to detain Khalil, since he poses no apparent flight risk. Khalil had been held at a detention center in Louisiana while facing allegations that he misrepresented information on his green card application.

His legal team asked the court to either release him on bail or move him to New Jersey, near his family. While the judge previously allowed the government to continue detaining Khalil based on those application concerns, he rejected a separate claim by the U.S. State Department that Khalil posed a threat to American foreign policy.

Khalil denies the allegations and argues that his continued detention lacked proper justification. The judge’s most recent ruling clears the way for Khalil to leave federal custody and rejoin his family.