A judge granted the legal team of the activist of the University of Columbia Mahmoud Khalil more time to review his immigration case during an audience on Friday in Louisiana.
Khalil, a 30 -year -old green card holder who is married to an American citizen, was arrested by immigration and customs compliance officials on March 8. He faces a possible deportation for his alleged support for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, although he has not been accused of a crime.
The judge of the Lasalle Immigration Court in Jena said he believes that Khalil “deserves more time” to prepare before an allegation and delayed more procedures until April 8.
A lawyer who represents the National Security Department originally opposed the matter, arguing that Khalil is being “held at the expense of the Government.” However, Khalil's lawyer told the judge that “these are serious charges, we need time to review.”
Video shows the arrest of the Anti-Israel leader of Columbia Mahmoud Khalil
Mahmoud Khalil supposedly played an important role in protests against Israel at Columbia University. (Ted Shaffrey/AP)
Khalil seemed calm throughout the hearing, which was held in a small court of the court without windows. He spoke relatively in silence in his responses to the judge and seemed relaxed. The judge asked him what language he understood better and he said English and Arabic, and when she asked if they could proceed in English, he said yes.
Khalil played an important role in Anti-Israel protests in Columbia.
In a letter published by his lawyers on Tuesday, Khalil characterized his arrest as “indicative of anti-palestinian racism.” He also blamed the Administration of Columbia, including the former president of the University, Minouche Shafik, who was criticized for not responding properly to accusations of anti -Semitic behavior of activists on the campus before he finally resigns.
“My unjust arrest is indicative of anti-Palestinian racism that Biden and Trump administrations have demonstrated in the last 16 months as the United States has continued to supply Israel weapons to kill the Palestinians and avoid international intervention,” Khalil wrote. “For decades, antipalestine racism has promoted efforts to expand US laws and practices used to violently repress Palestinians, US Arabs and other communities. That is precisely the reason why I am being attacked.”
Columbia student claims classmate arrested for ICE 'hate America'
Mahmoud Khalil tells his wife to call his lawyer, Amy, when he was arrested. (Mahmoud Khalil's family)
In one of the first legal victories for Khalil, a judge ordered on Wednesday that his deportation case was heard in New Jersey, not in Louisiana, where he is detained. The judge cited a law that required the case to be held in the same jurisdiction where Khalil's lawyers filed a lawsuit for the first time to challenge their arrest.
The Trump administration said previously that there was an infestation of bed bugs at the New Jersey detention center, near Khalil's arrest, which led them to send it to Louisiana.
Lasalle Immigration Court in Jena, Louisiana, where Khalil appeared for a hearing on Friday, March 21. (Olivianna Calmes/Fox News)
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“His illegal and unfair arrest cannot endure. We will not stop fighting until he is at home with me,” said Noor Abdalla, his wife, in a statement issued by the American Union of Civil Liberties earlier this week.
Alec Schemmel of Fox News contributed to this report.
