Immigration judge in Louisiana set to rule on whether Trump admin can detain, deport Mahmoud Khalil

A federal immigration judge in Louisiana is set to rule Friday on whether to release from detention pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil.

Federal agents last month arrested Khalil on a deportation order from the Trump administration.

The judge, Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jamee Comans, this week ordered the federal government to turn over evidence by Wednesday supporting its order to remove Khalil, a legal permanent resident, from the U.S. by Wednesday evening, or she would move to terminate the case, according to Khalil’s lawyers.

In response to the request, the federal government submitted a memo Wednesday from Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Khalil can be deported, regardless of his immigration status, because of his “beliefs, statements or associations "undermine U.S. policy to combat anti-Semitism around the world and in the United States, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence in the United States." 

However, the memo did not allege any criminal activity, according to CNN.

Attorneys for Khalil, who helped lead the protests last spring at Columbia, have challenged the accusations against their client in federal and immigration court, saying he is being targeted over his pro-Palestine activism in violation of his constitutionally protected right to free speech, the news outlet also reports.