A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration's attempt to transfer the deportation case of Mahmoud Khalil to Louisiana, ruling that the legal battle should continue in New Jersey. Khalil, a Columbia University protester, is being held in Louisiana as the government seeks his deportation for his role in campus protests against Israel. The ruling allows Khalil's attorneys to argue for his release before a judge in New Jersey. Khalil's wife, who is eight months pregnant, called the decision an important step towards securing his freedom.