Ahead of a court hearing, the Columbia University activist was able to meet and hold his newborn son for the first time.

An immigration judge in Louisiana on Thursday denied a request to terminate Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation proceedings after his attorneys argued that he was arrested illegally and without a warrant over two months ago.

The activist, who has been detained in Louisiana for two months, was allowed to meet privately with his wife and child. He is fighting deportation.