Detained Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Finally Holds Newborn Son After Court Ruling

Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, detained for over two months, was allowed to hold his one-month-old son for the first time on Thursday following a federal judge’s intervention that overturned a government attempt to keep them separated by a glass barrier.

Khalil, a legal U.S. permanent resident and Columbia University graduate, has been held in a Louisiana detention facility since March 8. He became the first person detained under former President Donald Trump’s clampdown on pro-Palestine protests across the United States.

Although no criminal charges have been brought against him, U.S. immigration authorities are seeking his deportation, claiming that his vocal opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza threatens U.S. foreign policy interests.

Last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) denied Khalil’s request to be present for the birth of his son on April 21. Since then, his legal team has been locked in a legal battle to ensure he could meet his newborn in person rather than behind a visitation barrier.

Khalil’s attorneys argued in court that denying the in-person visit was “further evidence of the retaliatory motive” behind his arrest and detention. They emphasized that neither his wife nor his infant son posed any security risk.

The court’s decision to allow physical contact between father and child has been hailed by supporters as a rare victory in what they view as a politically motivated detention.

Supporters and activists have rallied outside Columbia University and other locations, demanding Khalil’s release and condemning what they see as a broader effort to silence pro-Palestinian voices in the U.S.

The case continues to draw attention as debates over free speech, immigration policy, and political expression intensify nationwide.