By Gloria Pazmino, CNN
(CNN) — Lawyers for Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil renewed requests to have the pro-Palestinian activist released on bail or transferred from an immigration detention center in Louisiana to New Jersey, where he can be closer to his family and his counsel, according to court documents filed on Monday.
Lawyers for Khalil submitted renewed motions in response to a federal judge’s decision to continue holding Khalil in custody after lawyers for the Department of Justice argued that Khalil’s failure to provide information on his permanent residence application was sufficient to prevent his release.
“This is just another cruel attempt by the government to punish Mahmoud for his protected speech,” Marc Van Der Hout, one of Khalil’s attorneys, said in a statement. “Detaining someone on a charge like this is highly unusual and, frankly, outrageous.”
Last week, Judge Michael Farbiarz said a determination by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student’s presence in the country had “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States” was likely unconstitutional and ordered Khalil’s release. The government swiftly appealed.
In their request, lawyers for Khalil described his ongoing detention as “extraordinary” and said he is entitled to bail, noting he is not a flight risk or a danger to the community.
CNN reached out to the Department of Justice for a response to the new filing.
Khalil, a lawful permanent resident – who is married to a US citizen – remains at a Louisiana ICE detention center, where he has been held for more than three months after he was arrested outside his apartment on Columbia University’s campus in March. He has missed out on key milestones due to his detainment: notably the birth of his first child in April and his Columbia graduation.
The Syrian-born Palestinian refugee is one of several foreign nationals the Trump administration has accused of posing a national security threat due to alleged ties to terrorist organizations – a claim his attorneys have repeatedly disputed.
His detention has sparked protests across the country from supporters who believe his detention is a flagrant violation of core American values, including the protection of free speech.
The administration has relied on an obscure section of US law to argue that Khalil should be deported because his presence in the United States threatens the administration’s foreign policy goal of combatting antisemitism.
His lawyers, meanwhile, have challenged the legality of Khalil’s detention and contend he was targeted for his pro-Palestinian views, in violation of his constitutional rights. They argue the government’s evidence is insufficient and based solely on a letter from Rubio that does not allege criminal activity.
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