A federal immigration judge in Louisiana ruled Friday afternoon that detained Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil not charged with any crime can be deported, his attorneys confirmed Friday afternoon. Still,

The government argued, in vain, that New Jersey never had jurisdiction on the case and that a habeas corpus petition — to release Khalil — could only be targeted at Louisiana detention

The opinion, unless appealed by the government, would clear the way for Judge Michael Fabiarz to decide the more substantive issues of Khalil's continued confinement.