US EditionAppeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil
A federal appeals panel ruled that immigration law requires deportation challenges to proceed via appeals courts, blocking a habeas petition that had freed activist Mahmoud Khalil.
- On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a federal district court in New Jersey ruling, ordering dismissal of Mahmoud Khalil's habeas petition.
- Federal law requires deportation challenges to proceed by petition for review, and President Donald Trump's administration appealed the June release order, arguing removal decisions belong to an immigration judge.
- A 2-1 panel decision concluded immigration statutes bar habeas petitions to challenge detention, writing 'That scheme ensures that petitioners get just one bite at the apple—not zero or two,' while Khalil was arrested on March 8, 2025, and spent three months in a Louisiana immigration jail.
- Some petitioners will have to wait to seek relief, and Khalil's lawyers say they will exhaust all appeals as the case is likely not the final word.
- Authorities invoked a seldom-used statute permitting expulsion, relying on claims Khalil was 'aligned to Hamas' without evidence, while an immigration judge suggested deportation to Algeria or Syria, where Khalil's attorneys warn of mortal danger.
190 Articles
190 Articles
US appeals court overturns judge’s ruling that blocked arrest and deportation of Mahmoud Khalil
The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals’ 2-1 decision sends the case back to immigration court and overturns the ruling by a New Jersey judge that Khalil’s rights had been violated when he was apprehended in New York City and sent to a DHS detention center in Louisiana for three months.
Trump Gets Vindicated By Federal Appeals Court In Fight To Deport Radical Immigrant Activist - The American Tribune.com
The Trump Administration got another big win from the federal court system yet again on Thursday, January 15, when a federal appeals court ruled that a lower court judge lacked the authority to order the release of a radical activist named Mahmoud Khalil, siding with President Trump’s administration in the very closely watched immigration case. As background, in September of 2025, an immigration judge in Louisiana ordered that Khalil, who is a l…
Appeals Court Reverses Decision that Freed "Palestinian" Terror Threat Mahmoud Khalil
Excellent! Now deport. Mahmoud Khalil is a thug. For the fake news peddling misinformation about the appellate ruling for Mahmoud Khalil, here is our stance in simple terms: If you sympathize with terrorists, your presence is contrary to the national and foreign policy interests of the United States. You are not welcome here. https://t.co/VyTAYGopSy — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) January 15, 2026 Amazing news – Third Circuit Court of Appe…
Tulsa World
Pro-Palestinian activist in jeopardy after ruling
A federal appeals panel reversed a lower court decision Thursday that released former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil from an immigration jail, bringing the government one step closer to detaining and deporting the Palestinian activist.
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