Palestinian student leader Mohsen Mahdawi, who is in his final year at Columbia University, was apprehended by federal agents on April 14, 2025, during a citizenship interview in Colchester, Vermont. Mahdawi, known for his active role in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus, faced custody from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), under a seldom-used part of the Immigration and Nationality Act. His legal team claims that this detainment was a punitive measure aimed at his advocacy for Palestinian rights.
Court documents filed on April 14, 2025, in the U. S. District Court of Vermont reveal that officials from Homeland Security Investigations arrested Mahdawi while he was attending his naturalization meeting. His attorneys assert that the Trump administration utilized the foreign policy clause of the Immigration and Nationality Act to rationalize the detention, contending that Mahdawi’s activism could have negative effects on foreign policy. The Trump administration aims to remove Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil. A temporary restraining order from Federal Judge William Sessions has been issued, stopping Mahdawi’s deportation from Vermont or the United States while legal actions continue.
According to court records, Mahdawi has been a lawful permanent resident of the United States for ten years and spent his early life in a refugee camp located in the West Bank. In 2023, he and another student, Khalil, established the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia University. After the Israel-Gaza war began due to a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Khalil became a notable speaker at protests on campus. Mahdawi, who was set to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia this autumn, had previously decided to scale back his protests to concentrate on engaging other campus groups.
In January, a video featuring Mahdawi was shared on social media by Betar USA, a pro-Israel organization known for pressing the Trump administration to act against pro-Palestinian activists, which alleged his inclusion on their so-called “deport list. ” His legal team states that Mahdawi has continuously condemned hate speech and advocated for peaceful conversations. He has criticized inflammatory language at protests and stressed the importance of non-violence in student activism.
During a 2023 interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Mahdawi recounted a moment from a rally when an unknown attendee made an antisemitic comment, telling correspondent Bill Whitaker that he was “shocked” and responded, “You don’t represent us. ” His lawyers reference this incident as evidence challenging the government’s assertions that the targeted protesters engage in antisemitism. Mahdawi maintains that his advocacy is centered around peaceful protesting and dialogue between communities.
The detention has sparked backlash from legal experts and lawmakers. Vermont’s congressional delegation has called the act “immoral, inhumane, and illegal. ” Mahdawi’s legal team contends that this situation highlights a widespread trend of targeting students involved in Palestinian activism. For more information on immigration legal structures, resources provided by the American Immigration Council, Human Rights Watch, and the National Immigration Law Center offer extensive analysis.
