NEW YORK: A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration cannot use US foreign policy interests to justify its detention of Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, but said his order would not take effect until Friday. Khalil was arrested on March 8 after the State Department revoked his green card under a little-used provision of US immigration law granting the US secretary of state the power to seek the deportation of any noncitizen whose presence in the country is deemed adverse to US foreign policy interests.

Mr. Khalil, a legal permanent resident, has been held in Louisiana for more than three months. The judge suggested he could be released as early as Friday unless the government…

Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist has been held in detention facility since March