ICE Denies Detained Activist Mahmoud Khalil Presence at Son's Birth

Khalil has been held in a Louisiana facility since his arrest by plainclothes immigration officers at his Columbia University-owned apartment last month. Following news that Abdalla had gone into labor, his legal team petitioned ICE for an immediate release, offering conditions including GPS tracking and scheduled check-ins. ICE official Mellissa Harper denied the request less than an hour later, citing a review of the case.

Abdalla condemned the refusal as a deliberate act of cruelty intended to punish her husband for his vocal support of Palestinian rights. Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident, rose to prominence last year for his leadership in campus protests against the war in Gaza. His attorneys are currently challenging a deportation ruling issued earlier this month by immigration judge Jamee Comans. The New York Civil Liberties Union has criticized the proceedings, arguing the judge's decision appeared pre-written and poses a significant threat to constitutionally protected speech.