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Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist at Columbia University, was apprehended by federal agents on Monday during a citizenship interview in Vermont, as reported by his legal representatives in court documents.
This incident occurs amid an effort by the Trump administration to deport another Columbia protestor, Mahmoud Khalil, also linked to advocacy regarding Palestinian issues.
Mahdawi’s legal team has filed a petition seeking his release, arguing that his detention infringes upon his First Amendment rights. They express concerns that the administration intends to deport Mahdawi under a lesser-known provision, which allows removals if the Secretary of State deems an individual to pose “adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.” This same legal rationale was employed in Khalil’s detention.
Luna Droubi, Mahdawi’s attorney, asserted in a statement that Mahdawi’s detention is a direct reprisal against his pro-Palestinian activities and highlights an attempt to mute dissent regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Droubi labeled the detention as unconstitutional.
Attempts to obtain comments from the Department of Homeland Security by CBS News are ongoing.
According to Droubi, the defense team has been unable to ascertain Mahdawi’s location despite repeated efforts to do so. A federal judge, William Sessions, has issued a temporary order preventing the government from deporting Mahdawi from Vermont.
Mahdawi, originally from a refugee camp in the West Bank, has been a lawful permanent resident in the United States for the past ten years. He completed a philosophy degree at Columbia University last year and was anticipated to graduate in May before pursuing a master’s program this fall.
In 2023, Mahdawi and Khalil co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia, as indicated by court filings. Following the outbreak of conflict in Gaza that began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, Khalil addressed protests on campus, advocating for Palestinian rights.
Previously, Mahdawi gained attention from Betar USA, a pro-Israel group that has been known for encouraging the detention of pro-Palestinian activists. The group tweeted in January featuring a video of Mahdawi, marking him as a target for deportation.
In a 2023 appearance on CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” Mahdawi recounted an incident during a rally where an unidentified individual made an antisemitic remark. He expressed his dismay at the comment, emphasizing that it did not reflect his stance or that of the group he represents.
Mahdawi is part of a broader narrative of students facing immigration issues tied to their activism. Khalil, also a green card holder, was detained outside his apartment last month, with the government pressing for his removal on allegations of Hamas support and involvement in “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities.” However, when prompted for substantiation of these claims, the government referred to a memo by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which suggested that Khalil’s activism contradicted U.S. foreign policy, but did not provide direct evidence linking him to Hamas.
Another recent case involves Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was detained after co-authoring a critical op-ed in her university’s newspaper, with her attorneys asserting she was targeted for her advocacy.
Both Khalil and Ozturk are being held in Louisiana. A federal immigration judge recently allowed the government’s deportation efforts regarding Khalil to advance, granting him a short timeline to seek relief. His legal team has indicated they plan to appeal, while he also pursues a lawsuit related to his detention. Ozturk is similarly filing for her release and is currently engaged in legal proceedings against the Trump administration.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly defended the actions taken to revoke the visas of individuals attributed to Hamas support, declaring on social media after Khalil’s detention that the administration would take measures to deport such individuals from the U.S.
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