It's been less than two weeks since U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz ordered Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil released on bail. Reuters spoke with Khalil at his Manhattan apartment earlier this week amid his ongoing fight against the Trump administration's effort to deport him.

Manhattan

Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil has returned to New York after spending three months in immigration detention in Louisiana. His release on bail follows a federal judge's ruling that the Trump administration's main argument for deporting him—based on his pro-Palestinian activism—likely violates free speech rights. Khalil, who has not been charged with any crime, is fighting the government's attempt to revoke his permanent residency and deport him under an immigration statute that targets speech deemed harmful to U.S. foreign policy interests.

The Trump administration has escalated actions against pro-Palestinian students and universities, revoking research grants and demanding greater oversight of campus activities. Khalil has criticized both the U.S. government and Columbia University for their responses, while Columbia disputes his characterization. As the government appeals the judge's decision, Khalil is focusing on his family, having missed the birth of his son during his detention.

Mahmoud Khalil adjusts to life after release amid deportation fight

After three months detained at a jail for immigrants in rural Louisiana, Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil returned to New York less than two weeks ago after he was released on bail. Much has changed since he was arrested by U.S. immigration agents in March. At that time, the Trump administration's fight with elite American universities was only a few days old. But in the months since, the administration has escalated its battle, arresting other foreign pro-Palestinian students, and revoking billions of dollars in research grants to Columbia, Harvard, and other private schools whose campuses were roiled by pro-Palestinian student movements, like the one that Khalil helped organize at Columbia. Porter sat down with Khalil at his Manhattan apartment this week. He said he is still adjusting to his new reality. I did not choose to be in this position. I did. And this, of course, has a great impact on my life. I'm still honestly trying to contemplate my new reality. I now have some sort of a platform that I will, of course, use to shed light on the atrocities that Israel is committing against Palestinians, and how the U.S. government, how Columbia and other U.S. universities are also complicit in these crimes. Because this is what actually matters. It's not me. I'm only one individual. But what's happening is that there is a genocide now happening in Palestine, being funded by the U.S. and invested in by Columbia. Israel has rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defense following the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Israel's assault after has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and displaced most of the population of two million. Khalil is now challenging the Trump administration's effort to revoke his lawful permanent residency green card and deport him. Though he is not charged with any crime, the U.S. government has invoked an obscure immigration statute to argue that Khalil and other pro-Palestinian international students must be deported because their, quote, otherwise lawful speech could harm U.S. foreign policy interests. The federal judge overseeing Khalil's case has ruled that the Trump administration's main rationale for deporting him is likely an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights. The government is appealing. In response to queries about the case, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, quote, quote, this is not about free speech. This is about individuals who don't have a right to be in the United States, siding with Hamas terrorists and organizing group protests that made college campuses unsafe and harassed Jewish students. Khalil rejects any charge of anti-Semitism, which he condemned in the interview. What this country and Israel in particular are trying to do is to conflate anti-Israel policies with anti-Semitism so that they can shut down any legitimate criticism of the state of Israel. It's as simple as that. It doesn't go beyond that. And I mean, it's clear who now is at risk. And also Jewish students were an integral part of the student movement for Palestine on U.S. campuses. The Trump administration has told Columbia and other universities that federal grant money will not be restored unless the government has greater oversight of who they admit and hire and what they teach. Unlike Harvard, Columbia has not challenged the legality of the government's sudden grant revocations. It has agreed to at least some of the Trump administration's demands to tighten rules around protests as a precondition of negotiations over resuming funding. Khalil was critical of Columbia's response. Columbia basically gave the institution to Trump administration, let the administration to intervene in every single detail on how a higher education institution should be run. Columbia spokesperson Virginia Lamb-Abrams said university leaders, quote, strongly dispute Khalil's characterization. Considering the government could win its appeal and jail him again, Khalil said his priority is spending as much time as possible with his wife, a dentist, and his infant son, whose birth he missed while he was held in Louisiana.

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

Washington

Trump set to sign "big, beautiful bill"

More than 80 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Thursday (July 3), according to health officials, as Israel intensified its strikes, hitting a school-turned-displacement facility. CNN’s Paula Hancocks looks at the damage and humanitarian toll.

Jerusalem

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Global Tariffs

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.

Paris

Macron held 'substantial' phone call with Putin

President Trump toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center he teamed up with Ron DeSantis to build in the Everglades.

Everglades

Protesters gather around ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as President Trump visits

Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial said they have reached a verdict on four of the five counts, but they cannot reach a verdict on Count 1, which is racketeering conspiracy. The judge has instructed the jury to keep deliberating. Deliberations will resume Wednesday (July 2).

Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs case

The U.S. Senate passed the Republicans' reconciliation bill on Tuesday (July 1) after more than 24 hours of marathon voting on amendments. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.

U.S. Senate passes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

The new order does not rescind existing sanctions on ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad, his top aides, officials and family members who are accused of having committed war crimes and human rights violations against Syrian civilians.

Trump signs executive order lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria

Former criminology graduate student Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to killing four Idaho college students in 2022, a move that would spare him the death penalty under a deal with prosecutors, ABC News reported on Monday (June 30).

Moscow

Suspect in murders of four Idaho college students to plead guilty

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival on multiple fronts.

Bangkok

Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal

Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on June 30 in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.