A US magistrate has removed travel restrictions within the US for the Palestinian activist, permitting him to address gatherings and other engagements across the nation while he fights efforts to remove him.
Khalil, who was released from a Louisiana detention center in the summer after being arrested by federal agents amid student and activist roundups, had requested a federal magistrate judge to lift the restrictions that had confined his travel to certain states.
At a virtual proceeding, his legal representative stated that her the activist “desires to travel for the very significant first amendment reasons that are at the heart of this case.”
“He wants to speak topics of public interest,” the attorney added, referencing the legal protection to free speech.
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However, the federal lawyer, who opposed the move, argued that Khalil “has not offered enough of a justification why he couldn’t participate in these and other activities remotely.”
Magistrate judge the presiding official agreed to allow Khalil to travel, stating that he was not considered a flight risk and had not violated any of his release conditions.
The judge agreed with the prosecution that the individual is required to notify federal authorities about his travel plans.
The activist, who is a lawful US permanent resident, was arrested by immigration agents in March following his involvement in activist protests at Columbia, an prestigious institution in NY.
The administration claims it had the power to detain and remove him, claiming that his status in the United States is a risk to national security. A second claim is that he failed to disclose information about his work history and affiliation in groups on his petition for a permanent residency.
Following his release, the activist said he planned to persist in his condemnation of the institution for what supporters consider as its acquiescence to government directives to restrict specific expression and address concerns against students on campus.
