A U.S. District Judge, Geoffrey Crawford, has ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who became known for leading protests against the war in Gaza during his time as a student at Columbia University. This decision came after Mahdawi was arrested by immigration officials while he was in the process of finalizing his U.S. citizenship.
Mahdawi, who has been a legal permanent resident for a decade, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on April 14. Following his arrest, he was held at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, Vermont. A subsequent ruling by the judge prevented the government from deporting him from the state or the country.
According to Mahdawi’s legal team, his detention is a direct retaliation for his outspoken advocacy for Palestinian human rights. Court documents reveal that the notice he received regarding his immigration status cites the Immigration and Nationality Act, indicating that Secretary of State Marco Rubio deemed his presence in the U.S. and his activities could lead to “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the nation.
The government contends that Mahdawi’s detention is a “constitutionally valid aspect of the deportation process.” They argue that district courts lack the jurisdiction to hear challenges related to the initiation of such proceedings. Michael Drescher, the acting U.S. attorney for Vermont, emphasized that the court does not play a role in this process and therefore cannot address the claims presented by Mahdawi.
Born in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Mahdawi moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed his coursework at Columbia University and was on track to graduate in May. Following graduation, he planned to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia in the fall. During his time at the university, Mahdawi was an active critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and played a significant role in organizing campus protests, a commitment he maintained until March 2024.
Mahdawi is also known for co-founding the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia University alongside Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident who was recently detained by immigration authorities. In a related case, an immigration judge in Louisiana supported the government’s claim that Khalil’s presence in the U.S. could pose “potentially serious foreign policy consequences,” which aligns with the rationale used for Mahdawi's detention.
This case highlights the complexities surrounding immigration, activism, and foreign policy, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The outcome of Mahdawi's situation could have significant implications for other activists and students advocating for Palestinian rights in the United States.
