Federal appeals court sides with Trump admin in judge's Mahmoud Khalil decision

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a lower court judge lacked authority in ordering the release of anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, siding with the Trump administration in a closely watched immigration case.

In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz of New Jersey lacked "subject-matter jurisdiction" under federal immigration law to halt the Trump administration’s effort to remove Khalil.

Khalil...