Louisiana
Anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil speaks out and reveals his future plans after release from Louisiana lockup
Anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil lamented leaving behind some “incredible men” on Friday as he left a Louisiana detention facility, which he hopes becomes a museum to what he described as “America’s racist policies.”
“I leave some incredible men behind me, over 1,000 people behind me, in a place where they shouldn’t have been in the first place,” Khalil told reporters after walking out of the La Salle Detention Facility in Jena, La.
“I hope the next time that I will be in Jena is to actually visit this as a museum on America’s racist policies against immigrants,” the former Columbia University student added.
After being picked up by federal immigration authorities on March 8, Khalil spent 104 days at the rural Louisiana detention center as the Trump administration fought to deport the Syrian-born permanent resident for allegedly engaging in activities “aligned to Hamas,” a Palestinian terror group, while studying at Columbia.
“The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here,” Khalil charged outside the detention center, “whether you are a US citizen, an immigrant, or just a person on this land doesn’t mean that you are less of a human.”
“[President Trump] and his administration, they chose the wrong person for this,” he said defiantly. “That doesn’t mean that there is a right person.”
Khalil, wearing a keffiyeh, went on to slam his alma mater, accusing the Ivy League school of “investing in the genocide of the Palestinian people.”
“There is no right person who should be detained, who are actually protesting a genocide, for protesting their university – Columbia University – that is investing in the genocide of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Newark federal Judge Michael Farbiarz, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, ordered Khalil’s release earlier Friday, finding that the Trump administration may be unfairly holding him in retaliation for his outspoken stance against Israel’s war with Hamas.
Farbiarz determined that Khalil is not a flight risk and “not a danger to the community.”
The anti-Israel activist said the first thing he’ll do when he returns home to New York is “just hug my wife and son.”
Khalil’s wife, an American citizen, gave birth to their son in April while her husband was being held in the Louisiana facility.
“The only time I spent with my son was a specified one-hour limit that the government had imposed on us … so that means that now I can actually hug him and Noor, my wife, without looking at the clock,” Khalil said.
“The moment you enter this facility, your rights leave you, leave you behind,” he continued. “So, once you enter there, you see a different reality – just a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice.”
“But once you cross, literally, that door, you see that opposite side of what’s actually happening in this country.”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed Farbiarz ruling and told The Post she expects a higher court to order Khalil’s return to federal custody.
“An immigration judge, not a district judge, has the authority to decide if Mr. Khalil should be released or detained,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “On the same day an immigration judge denied Khalil bond and ordered him removed, one rogue district judge ordered him released.”
“This is yet another example of how out of control members of the judicial branch are undermining national security. Their conduct not only denies the result of the 2024 election, it also does great harm to our constitutional system by undermining public confidence in the courts.”
McLaughlin argued that “it is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America” and that the Trump administration “acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority to detain Khalil, as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews, and damages property.”
“An immigration judge has already vindicated this position. We expect a higher court to do the same.”
WATCH: Postgame interviews UL football HC, QB Lunch Winfield vs Marshall
Hear from UL football HC Michael Desormeaux and quarterback Lunch Winfield following the Cajuns’ 54-51 2OT win vs Marshall.
For the first offseason of his collegiate career, Lunch Winfield knew where he stood within Louisiana football.
The junior quarterback had spent the past two offseasons battling for the QB1 spot and losing that battle each preseason camp. This summer, Winfield has been handed the reins of the Ragin’ Cajuns offense and he’s hungrier than ever to lead them.
“I feel way more confident and ready to play at this point compared to other offseasons,” Winfield said. “I don’t even have the words, but I’m ready to play football. When there is fire, I thrive. And I’m just ready to get the team back to the standard that we need it.”
Louisiana football has role fit for Lunch Winfield
After being thrust into the starting role in 2025, Winfield proved he could be more than just a filler at the quarterback position. The 6-foot-2 and 225-pounder threw for 1,555 yards and 11 touchdowns, and was just as effective on the ground. Winfield led the Cajuns in rushing touchdowns with nine, racking up 667 yards rushing on 152 carries.
That breakout year quickly made the city of Lafayette fall in love with Winfield and he fell in love right back.
“Kids I take classes with are like in love with me, and just random day-to-day things happen that you would probably see in a movie or something,” Windfield said of the city embracing him. “It’s phenomenal to know that the people around Acadiana and Lafayette have my back and want to see me succeed.”
All spring and into the summer as QB1, Windfield has fallen right into a leadership role for the Cajuns both on and off the field. A role almost tailor-made for the happy-go-lucky slinger. With that position decided, fifth-year coach Michael Desormeaux will have one less question to answer.
“It’s allowed Lunch to be the leader he needs to be,” Desormeaux said. “It’s allowed him to not have to worry about his role and where he fits. He’s got unbelievable leadership qualities and being the guy for a full year just let’s him be comfortable to do what he needs to do for this team.”
With Winfield at the helm of their offense and an overall younger squad this season, the Cajuns are hoping for a better finish that the past year’s 6-7 record. A key, as it was last season, is the most important meal of the day: Lunch.
“As young as we are right now, it would mean a lot for Cajun Nation to see us winning,” Winfield said. “That’s when more people want to get involved with us and it keeps our team together. So we’re just trying to take it one step at a time, one week at a time to get where we want to be at in the conference championship.”
Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men’s basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
Project aims to curb dengue by releasing millions of mosquitoes
Google-backed researchers are taking an unusual approach to fighting mosquito-borne diseases: releasing more mosquitoes. The effort, known as Debug, is designed to reduce populations of mosquitoes that spread illnesses such as dengue fever by using specially bred male mosquitoes that cannot produce viable offspring.
Fox – 35 Orlando
Bug spray is an everyday necessity in Louisiana, as mosquitoes in the state are active year-round.
Mosquitoes thrive in Louisiana’s climate, as ample rainfall and bodies of water provide optimal breeding grounds and the insects favor humidity and mild winters.
All of these factors contribute to the state’s high mosquito population, abundant number of mosquito species and high volume of West Nile cases reported annually.
Louisiana and mosquitoes
While the exact count of mosquitoes in Louisiana is impossible to calculate, the state is estimated to have the fourth highest mosquito population in the U.S.
The 10 states with the most mosquitoes, according to World Population Review:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Montana
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Virginia
The 10 states with the least mosquitoes, according to World Population Review:
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- West Virginia
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
Louisiana has the fourth highest number of mosquito species. How many does the state have?
Louisiana is home to a total of 68 species of mosquito, making it the state with the fourth most species. The three most common species of mosquito in Louisiana include southern house mosquitoes, Asian tiger mosquitoes and floodwater mosquitoes, says J&J Exterminating.
Here’s how Louisiana compares to other states in terms of mosquito species, according to World Population Review:
- Texas: 85
- Florida: 80
- New York: 70
- Louisiana: 68
- Georgia: 63
- South Carolina: 61
- Alabama: 60
- Kentucky: 60
- New Jersey: 60
- North Carolina: 60
- Oklahoma: 60
- Pennsylvania: 60
- Ohio: 59
- Delaware: 57
- Iowa: 57
- New Mexico: 57
- Wisconsin: 56
- Arkansas: 55
- Indiana: 55
- Michigan: 55
- Connecticut: 54
- Illinois: 52
- Massachusetts: 51
- California: 50
- Idaho: 50
- Maryland: 50
- Minnesota: 50
- Mississippi: 50
- Missouri: 50
- Montana: 50
- Nebraska: 50
- Oregon: 50
- Utah: 50
- Virginia: 50
- Rhode Island: 46
- Colorado: 45
- Maine: 45
- Vermont: 45
- Wyoming: 45
- New Hampshire: 43
- South Dakota: 43
- Arizona: 40
- Nevada: 40
- Washington: 40
- North Dakota: 38
- Alaska: 30
- West Virginia: 26
- Tennessee: 9
- Hawaii: 8
- Kansas: 2
Louisiana among states that report the most cases of West Nile virus. How many cases were reported in 2025?
A total of 1,941 cases of West Nile virus were reported in the U.S. in 2025 and 64 were reported in Louisiana the same year, making the state rank ninth for total cases of West Nile reported in 2025.
West Nile virus has been actively spreading throughout Louisiana since its first detection in the state in 2002, says the Louisiana Department of Health.
How Louisiana compares to other states in terms of West Nile virus cases reported in 2025, according to World Population Review:
- Colorado: 283
- Illinois: 136
- Minnesota: 112
- Texas: 104
- California: 98
- North Dakota: 86
- South Dakota: 86
- Pennsylvania: 80
- Louisiana: 64
- Arizona: 63
- New York: 56
- Oklahoma: 53
- Nebraska: 52
- New Mexico: 51
- Iowa: 49
- Utah: 48
- Michigan: 46
- Ohio: 44
- Indiana: 38
- Kentucky: 35
- Missouri: 34
- Mississippi: 32
- Kansas: 29
- Maryland: 27
- Wisconsin: 26
- Virginia: 25
- Alabama: 24
- Arkansas: 24
- New Jersey: 21
- Tennessee: 16
- Georgia: 15
- Wyoming: 14
- Montana: 11
- Idaho: 9
- Massachusetts: 9
- North Carolina: 9
- Connecticut: 6
- Florida: 6
- Washington, D.C.: 4
- South Carolina: 4
- Delaware: 3
- Oregon: 2
- Rhode Island: 2
- Washington: 2
- West Virginia: 2
- Maine: 1
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A Louisiana pastor who assaulted his church’s neighbor last month has been ordered to stay at least 50 yards away from the young man’s home.
Mark Anthony “Tony” Spell, 48, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church near Baton Rouge, was arrested for second-degree battery in June, Roys Report (RR) previously reported. A video of the attack shows Spell punching his 20-year-old neighbor more than 30 times. Spell also threw the man to the ground, sat on top of him, jerked the man’s neck and twisted it, then stood up and kicked him.
A protection order against Spell was issued Friday in Commissioner Kory Tauzin’s Courtroom, reported the Baton Rouge-based Advocate. Tauzin works in the 19th Judicial District Court as a quasi-judge, a person who exercises court-like powers but is not a judge.
The order states that Spell must stay more than 50 yards away from the home of the family that lives across the road from the church, unless he is checking the mail. Spell must also not contact the family in person or electronically, including through social media, the Advocate reported.
RR requested a copy of the protection order from the district clerk but didn’t immediately receive the document.
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RR also emailed Spell at his church for comment, but he didn’t immediately respond.
Spell previously said the 20-year-old neighbor threatened to rape his wife and grandchildren, which the neighbor denied. The two families have been feuding since 2020, when Spell’s church defied COVID-19 lockdown orders.
Scott Sherwin, father of the man Spell punched, had allowed federal authorities to install cameras on his property to surveil the church, RR previously reported. Life Tabernacle is a Oneness Pentecostal church located 14 miles northeast of Baton Rouge.
The elder Sherwin called police on June 25 — two days after Spell’s arrest, according to a police bodycam video obtained by WBRZ-TV Ch. 2, an ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge.
In the police video, Sherwin told police Spell was mowing the church’s lawn at 4 a.m. within 50 yards of his residence. Sherwin told police about a protection order that was in process. Sherwin also said he believed Spell was disturbing the peace and trying to “intimidate” his family by mowing his lawn so early.
“He’s got a protective order and he’s doing this on purpose to keep me and my family awake and drive us insane,” Sherwin told police in the video.
The video next shows police confronting Spell, who was sitting on his mower in the church’s yard. Spell then called Sherwin’s 20-year-old son an anti-gay slur, according to the TV station, which redacted it from the video.
“He’s just sore because I beat the crap out of his f—-t boy,” WBRZ reported Spell saying in the video. “And he’s next if he comes over here and harasses these boys.”
Some teenagers were in the video with Spell holding weed trimmers.
The June incident was at least the second time Spell was arrested for assault, RR previously reported. Spell allegedly backed a bus toward a man who was protesting the church’s decision to stay open during the pandemic. This was also caught on video. Those charges were later dismissed, RR previously reported.
Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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