A US judge has eased travel restrictions within the United States for the Palestinian activist, allowing him to speak at events and various engagements across the nation while he contests attempts to deport him.
Khalil, who was freed from a Louisiana detention center in June after being detained by federal agents amid wider enforcement actions, had petitioned a judicial authority to lift the restrictions that had limited his movement to certain states.
At a remote hearing, his attorney stated that her the activist “wants to travel for the very significant first amendment concerns that are at the heart of this matter.”
“He seeks to speak topics of public concern,” the attorney noted, citing the legal right to free speech.
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However, the government’s lawyer, who objected to the request, argued that the respondent “has not offered enough of a reason why he couldn’t participate in these and other events remotely.”
The judge the presiding official agreed to permit Khalil to travel, noting that he was not considered a risk of fleeing and had not breached any of his bail terms.
The magistrate agreed with the prosecution that the individual is obligated to notify federal authorities about his travel plans.
The activist, who is a legal US permanent resident, was detained by federal officers in early spring following his participation in pro-Palestinian protests at the university, an Ivy League school in New York.
The administration claims it had the power to arrest and deport him, claiming that his presence in the United States is a risk to public safety. A second allegation is that he omitted information about his work history and membership in organizations on his petition for a permanent residency.
Following his release, the activist said he planned to persist in his criticism of the institution for what activists view as its capitulation to government demands to restrict certain expression and respond to threats against students on campus.
