Mahmoud Khalil’s wife gives birth after ICE denied him temporary release to attend the delivery

Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and his wife welcomed their first child Monday, while the Columbia University graduate and a legal permanent resident of the United States remains in federal detention, according to a statement from Khalil’s wife.

Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate who has been in immigration detention in Louisiana for more than a month, was barred from attending the birth of his firstborn child Monday, after immigration officials denied him permission to attend the birth in person, according to emails reviewed by CNN. On Sunday morning, attorneys for Khalil wrote to Melissa Harper, director of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in New Orleans, requesting that Khalil be released from detention for two weeks so he could travel to New York and be with his wife when she delivered their son. Khalil’s case has sparked a firestorm of controversy since he was arrested outside his Columbia University residence where he was living with his then-pregnant wife, a US citizen. “Mr. Khalil’s wife has just gone into labor this morning in New York City, eight days earlier than expected,” Khalil’s attorneys wrote. “A two-week furlough in this civil detention matter would be both reasonable and humane so that both parents can be present for the birth of their first child.” The email goes on to say Khalil and his attorneys would agree to any needed conditions to grant the furlough, including wearing a GPS ankle monitor and scheduled check-ins. About 30 minutes after the email request was sent, Harper responded with a two-sentence denial, saying she had decided against granting the furlough “after consideration of the submitted information and a review of your client’s case.”