In a surprising twist that has caught attention across legal and immigration circles, a judge has refused to release Mahmoud Khalil after federal authorities suddenly shifted their approach and introduced a different legal strategy to remove him from the United States. The last-minute move has left Khalil in detention and raised questions about how the government handles certain immigration cases.
Khalil, who has been in custody for months, was expecting a chance to go free while his case continued. But during a recent court hearing, the Department of Homeland Security changed its legal reasoning, choosing to pursue what they called an “other charge of removability.” This change meant that the judge could no longer consider Khalil’s release under the original arguments, and the new charge kept him locked up for now.
The decision shocked Khalil’s legal team. His lawyers argued that the government’s sudden change was unfair and left their client without a proper chance to defend himself. They said the switch seemed like a tactic to delay his release, even though Khalil had already cooperated with authorities and presented no danger to the public.
The government, however, defended its actions by saying the new charge is fully legal and gives them more grounds to remove Khalil from the country. Officials didn’t explain exactly why they changed strategies, but immigration experts say this kind of move can happen when earlier charges are harder to prove or may not hold up in court.
Judge Nicholas Ford, who was overseeing the case, made it clear that he didn’t have the power to release Khalil under the new charge. He stressed that the law ties his hands in situations like this and that a different hearing will now be required to consider Khalil’s status.
For now, Mahmoud Khalil remains in federal custody. His supporters, including immigrant rights groups, are speaking out and demanding fair treatment. They say the way this case is being handled raises serious concerns about due process and transparency in the immigration system.
The case is far from over. A new hearing is expected in the coming weeks, where Khalil’s lawyers will have to respond to the new legal grounds for his possible deportation. Meanwhile, Khalil’s family continues to hope for justice and his release.
