An initial deadline has passed for the Trump administration to appeal to a federal judge why a Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist should be kept at a detention center in Central Louisiana.

A federal judge ruled this week that the government cannot hold the Columbia University graduate under the rarely invoked law it used to detain him.

A federal judge has ordered the release of pro-Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil. RELATED: Federal judge rules Mahmoud Khalil cannot be detained or deported It was reported that Khalil cannot be deported or detained for foreign policy reasons that were argued by the Trump Administration.