Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian rights activist and Columbia University graduate who is a legal permanent resident of the US, has been reunited with his wife and infant son after being held by federal immigration authorities for more than three months.

Khalil, a prominent student targeted by the Trump administration for speaking out against Israel's war on Gaza, arrived in New Jersey on Saturday at about 1pm. He was accompanied by his wife, Noor Abdalla, and members of his legal team, including New York Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

After a brief press conference, Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the importance of supporting Khalil's case and condemned the persecution based on political speech. Khalil's release came after a federal judge ruled that punishing someone over a civil immigration matter was unconstitutional.

During his time in detention, Khalil was not charged with a crime and missed the birth of his first child. He was finally released on bail after the judge found that he was not a flight risk or danger to the public.

Despite the Trump administration's appeal, Khalil was ordered to surrender his passport and green card and restrict his travel to certain US states. His detention was widely criticized as an attack on free speech, with many condemning the administration's actions.

Following Khalil's release, a rally is planned to celebrate and protest against the ongoing detention of immigrants in the US and Palestinians held without trial in Israel. Khalil's case has reignited the fight for justice and freedom for all prisoners.