New York, New York - A federal judge has ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University Palestinian rights activist who has been in ICE detention since his arrest in March.

Per the Associated Press, District Judge Michael Farbiarz ordered the US government on Friday to release Khalil from the detention center in Louisiana.

Judge Farbiarz affirmed that Khalil "is not a danger to the community. Period, full stop."

Khalil, who is a permanent resident of the US, was arrested in March by plainclothes immigration officials who did not have a warrant.

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The Trump administration has sought to have him deported, citing a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act and claiming that Khalil's presence in the US would have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" for the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally signed off on his arrest.

Amid his detention, the 30-year-old missed the birth of his first child after authorities refused to grant him a temporary release.

Khalil has not been charged with any crimes, and his arrest sparked widespread outcry and concern for the free speech rights of activists protesting Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza, where more than 55,000 have been slaughtered.