WASHINGTON (TNND) — Can a lawful permanent resident with a green card who has not been charged with a crime be deported?

That was a question in a federal court today in New York City, centering on the case of a former Columbia graduate student who helped lead Pro-Palestinian protests on campus last year, and who was arrested by immigration officials over the weekend.

Outside, protesters called for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, who they believe was illegally arrested.

The judge, Jesse M. Furman, ordered that the 30-year-old not be deported while his case plays out

The judge also insisted he have access to legal counsel, which he has not had up until this point, and that he be allowed to secure phone calls that are not monitored by the government.

Khalil was the leader in a student protest movement at Columbia University last year, speaking out against Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of women and children.

Following the hearing Wednesday, Baher Azmy, legal director at the Center for Constitutional Rights, spoke out.

“Mr. Khalil‘s detention has nothing to do with security. It is only about repression. The United States government has taken the position that I can arrest, detain and seek to deport a lawful permanent resident exclusively because of his peaceful constitutionally protected activism in this case, activism and supportive Palestinian and human rights And an end to the genocide in Gaza." he said "The government takes the position that because the Secretary of State finds his dissent unacceptable or contrary to US foreign policy."

Immigration authorities told Khalil his green card had been revoked and took him to Louisiana, where the federal government has said they want his case to be heard or, as a second option, in New Jersey.

The White House now insists the Immigration and Nationality Act gives Secretary of State Marco Rubio the power to revoke green cards of anyone adversarial to U.S. foreign policy and national security.

During a White House Press Briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about it.

This Administration is not going to tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro terrorist organizations that have killed Americans," she said.

Khalil’s supporters say he had no connections to any terrorist group.

The National News Desk, Columbia University Associate Professor Joseph Hawley said, "For decades, that has been the case that anyone who criticizes the government or the actions or the project of Israel, even Jews like me, is called anti-Semitic just for criticizing the actions of a state."

More than a dozen House Democrats sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding his release, calling his arrest an attempt to criminalize political protest and a direct assault on the freedom of speech.

The judge in this case is asking both legal teams to submit more information by the end of the week. We have heard very little from government lawyers about what, if any, crime they plan to charge him with, nor their reasoning for wanting the case to be moved to Louisiana.