Courts & Immigration Law

The Third Circuit reversed a district‑court order that had freed pro‑Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil from immigration detention, ruling the lower judge lacked authority to order his release; Khalil’s attorney Bobby Hodgson said the defense will continue to fight the case and called the ruling a setback for immigrants’ rights. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged that Khalil “should remain in New York City,” the NYCLU said he cannot be legally detained or deported while appeals are pending, and the White House has accused him of visa fraud while an immigration judge’s removal order cited a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterizing his campus protests as contrary to U.S. foreign‑policy interests.