Mahmoud Khalil can travel freely around the U.S. as he fights his deportation case, judge rules

A federal judge lifted restrictions that limited his travel to New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Louisiana and Michigan.

NEW YORK — A federal judge has lifted travel restrictions for Mahmoud Khalil, allowing the Palestinian activist to speak at rallies and other events across the U.S. as he fights his deportation case brought by the Trump administration.

Khalil, who was freed from a Louisiana immigration jail in June, had asked a federal magistrate judge to lift the restrictions that limited his travel to New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Louisiana and Michigan.

"He wants to travel for the very significant First Amendment reasons that are at the bottom of this case," his lawyer, Alina Das, said during a virtual hearing Thursday. "He wants to speak to issues of public concern."

An attorney for the government, Aniello DeSimone, opposed the move, arguing that Khalil "has not provided enough of a reason why he couldn't attend these and other events telephonically."

The magistrate judge, Michael Hammer, agreed Thursday to allow Khalil to travel, noting he is not considered a flight risk and had not violated any of his release conditions.