Sat Jun 21 20:54:09 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Palestinian Activist Released After Detention, Vows to Continue Protests**
**Concord, N.H. – June 22, 2025** – Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist, was released from immigration custody on Saturday, June 21st, after being detained for over three months. He was greeted by supporters, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, at Newark International Airport.
Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was detained following campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. The government argued that his participation in the protests, deemed antisemitic and “pro-Hamas” by the Trump administration, warranted his expulsion. He wasn’t accused of breaking any laws.
U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz ordered Khalil’s release, deeming it “highly unusual” to detain a legal resident not accused of violence and unlikely to flee. However, the government has filed an appeal against his release.
Upon his release, Khalil vowed to continue protesting, criticizing the U.S. government’s funding and Columbia University’s investment in what he called a “genocide.” He also expressed solidarity with other immigrants detained at the facility.
Representative Ocasio-Cortez condemned Khalil’s detention as a violation of the First Amendment, accusing the Trump administration of baseless accusations and infringing on his right to political speech. She further asserted that the administration is knowingly violating the law in pursuing this case.
First Piper 