Arrested Without a Warrant: Court Documents Reveal the Case of Mahmoud Khalil

Immigration officers carried out the detention without having a warrant. University of Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil In March, the Trump administration acknowledged in updated submissions to immigration and federal courts on April 24.

The statement conflicts with previous assertions made by immigration officials, who documented in their original arrest affidavit that they possessed a warrant. Despite this claim, they consistently declined to present it during his apprehension, according to Marc Van Der Hout, an attorney representing Khalil. Van Der Hout argued that these officers’ behavior constituted “serious misconduct” and believed it warranted dismissing the case against Khalil entirely from the deportation process.

"The government’s acknowledgment is astonishing, and it is utterly preposterous that they attempted to claim before the immigration judge—and globally—in their original submission of the arrest report that there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest when in fact there wasn’t,” Van Der Hout stated.

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Khalil, 30, was detained March 8 in the entrance hall of his college dormitory in Manhattan after leading pro-Palestinian demonstrations At Columbia University during the previous spring semester. Although Khalil hasn't faced any criminal charges, the Trump administration is attempting to have him deported, claiming that his stay in the country has resulted in "negative foreign policy implications" for the U.S.

His detention occurred during a campaign initiated by the Trump administration against pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which they have wrongly equated with backing terrorism and antisemitism. The protesters maintain that these accusations are unfounded and aim to silence dissent regarding Israel.

The individual born in Syria with Palestinian heritage had a a green card providing him with permanent resident status In the U.S., he has additionally filed for asylum, according to his attorneys, who are concurrently pursuing his release on bail and his transfer back to New Jersey from Louisiana. His spouse is a U.S. citizen named Noor Abdalla. gave birth on April 21 while still being held in immigration custody.

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We now understand why they never presented Mahmoud with the warrant — because they did not possess one.

In the documents submitted, attorneys representing the Department of Homeland Security justified the immigration officers' actions by stating they had "compelling reasons to carry out the warrantless arrest" as Khalil posed a "risk of fleeing."

The court documents state, “There is an exemption from the warrant requirement when immigration officers have grounds to think that the person might flee before a warrant could be acquired.”

Khalil "indicated that he wouldn’t cooperate and intended to depart the location," according to the filing. After being transported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New York, Khalil was issued a warrant, stated attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security.

Attorneys representing Khalil challenged the government's assertion that he posed a flight risk, describing this claim as a "blatant falsehood." They supported their argument with statements from witnesses and footage that countered the accusation. video of the arrest demonstrates Khalil obeying officers in civilian clothes who neither introduce themselves nor present a warrant.

Attorney Amy Greer stated, “That evening, I spoke over the phone with Mahmoud, his spouse Noor, as well as the arresting officer.” She continued, “Facing several undercover agents who obviously aimed to kidnap him, and notwithstanding these officers’ repeated failure to present us with a warrant, Mahmoud stayed composed and followed their instructions. It has since become clear why these individuals could not produce a warrant for Mahmoud—they did not possess one at all.”

"This is undoubtedly another futile effort by the Trump administration to legitimize its illegal apprehension and confinement of human rights activist Mahmoud Khalil, who has now been acknowledged as a political prisoner of the United States through the government’s implicit acceptance," stated Greer.

The Department of Homeland Security filed in immigration court in Jena, Louisiana, and a judge decided on April 11 that the Trump administration could proceed with attempts to deport Khalil, who is contesting the government’s removal order. The same document was also forwarded to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, as Khalil currently has an ongoing federal case there claiming that his detainment infringes upon his constitutional liberties such as freedom of expression and fair legal proceedings.

The article initially appeared on NorthJersey.com. Court papers indicate that Mahmoud Khalil was apprehended without a warrant.