\n<\/p>\n
On Friday, the administration\u2019s efforts were derailed after a judge in Khalil\u2019s case, Michael Farbiarz<\/strong> of Federal District Court in Newark, found that there was \u201cat least something\u201d to the argument that there had been \u201can effort to use the immigration charge here to punish Mr. Khalil\u201d for protesting the US and Columbia University\u2019s involvement in Israel\u2019s ongoing offensive in Palestine. \u201cAnd, of course, that would be unconstitutional,\u201d Farbiarz added. The judge called the government\u2019s behavior in Khalil\u2019s case \u201chighly, highly, highly unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe is not a danger to the community,\u201d Farbiarz said. \u201cPeriod, full stop.\u201d<\/p>\n A spokeswoman for the Homeland Security Department, Tricia McLaughlin<\/strong>, criticized Farbiarz on Friday, saying, \u201cAn immigration judge, not a district judge, has the authority to decide if Mr. Khalil should be released or detained.\u201d<\/p>\n Other judges have challenged<\/a> the Trump administration\u2019s holding of pro-Palestinian students, too. Other high-profile detainees<\/a>, including Rumeysa Ozturk<\/strong>, Mohsen Mahdawi<\/strong>, and Badar Khan Suri<\/strong>, have already been freed.<\/p>\n These four students\u2014and many more across the nation\u2014have been attempting to draw attention to Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza. As of June 11, Israeli military actions have killed 55,104 people and wounded 127,394 more, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The death toll is likely much higher, according<\/a> to researchers.<\/p>\n Khalil\u2019s wife, Abdalla, who recorded his<\/a> initial capture, has spent the last three months fighting<\/a> for her husband\u2019s release.<\/p>\n