His Case is the Epitome of Trump's Immigration Cruelty. It's About to Land in Front of the Worst Possible Person.

"Khalil was taken into custody in March, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely used mechanism in federal immigration law that claimed that the student's actions would have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States." The 30-year-old green-card holder was detained for three months, missing the birth of his first child, but was released in June."

"In a 2-1 decision, the court ruled that the lower district court of New Jersey-which had ordered Khalil to be released from immigration detention in June-did not have jurisdiction to consider his habeas petition. The panel's majority declared that these petitions challenging a final order of removal can be heard only in immigration court, a system overseen by the attorney general, who also handpicks immigration judges."

"Khalil essentially has one option left before being forced to go through immigration court: request a rehearing en banc. If that is approved, all 14 judges on the 3 rd Circuit would hear Khalil's case. But not only does the current makeup of this particular court lean conservative; it received a notable new member last year-Emil Bove. A former defense attorney for President Donald Trump and the former deputy attorney general, Bove has been mired in controversy throughout his tenure in the second Trump administration."

Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia graduate student and green-card holder, was detained in March after Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely used immigration mechanism alleging his actions could have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences. Khalil was held for three months, missed the birth of his first child, and was released in June. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, dismissed his habeas corpus petition, finding the New Jersey district court lacked jurisdiction and ruling that petitions challenging final removal orders belong in immigration court. Khalil's remaining option is an en banc rehearing before the full 3rd Circuit.

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