June 11 (UPI) -- Syrian national Mahmoud Khalil can't be detained and deported due to foreign policy concerns by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a federal district court judge ruled on Wednesday.
Rubio had determined that Khalil's presence in the United States -- while organizing campus protests favoring Hamas while enrolled at Columbia University -- runs counter to U.S. foreign policy.
U.S. District Court of New Jersey Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled Rubio's determination is insufficient to warrant Khalil's detention and deportation, NBC News and The Hill reported.
Rubio also suggested Khalil concealed his alleged connections with Hamas when he applied for a U.S. visa.
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