Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil denied release for son’s birth

Palestinian activist and US permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil welcomed the birth of his first child on Monday while in federal custody at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, more than 1,600 kilometers away.

According to a statement from his wife, Nour Abdullah, Khalil’s legal team had submitted a request for his temporary release so he could attend the birth in New York City. The request was denied by U.S. authorities.

“My son and I should not have to spend our first days in this world without Mahmoud,” Nour said. “ICE and the Trump administration have stolen these precious moments from our family in an attempt to silence Mahmoud’s support for Palestinian freedom.”

Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, was detained on March 8 as part of what advocates describe as a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism under President Trump.

“ICE made the purposeful decision to make our family suffer,” Nour added. “But I will continue to fight every day for Mahmoud to come home to us. I know that when he is free, he will teach our son to be brave, thoughtful, and compassionate — just like his dad.”

ICE has not responded to a request for comment.