U.S. judge discharges Palestinian student activist, detained during his citizenship interview scrutiny
Palestinian Activist Mohsen Mahdawi Freed After Contentious Immigration Detention
BURLINGTON, VT - In a defiant move, a federal judge in Vermont has released Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi, who was arrested by immigration officials during a U.S. citizenship interview. Outside the courthouse, Mahdawi led supporters in chants, asserting, "We want to stand up for humanity, because the rest of the world - not only Palestine - is watching us."
Mahdawi, a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza during his time as a student at Columbia University and founder of the Palestinian Student Union, was detained on April 14, 2025, under the claim that his presence and activities posed serious foreign policy consequences for the U.S. His ten-year legal residency, however, was found no evidence of derogatory information in his records.
U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford, in his ruling, pointed out that Mahdawi's political activism, even if he were a firebrand, is protected by the First Amendment. The government's argument that district courts have no role in the initiation of deportation proceedings was rejected by Judge Crawford.
The Trump administration invoked section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to detain Mahdawi, but the attorney's office did not respond to requests for comment on whether it will appeal his release.
As a Palestinian refugee born in a camp in the West Bank, Mahdawi moved to the United States in 2014. His case mirrors that of his brother, currently detained in a Louisiana ICE facility, under similar charges. Both cases highlight the administration's use of immigration law against activists.
Despite the conditions of his release requiring him to remain in Vermont, Mahdawi addressed supporters assertively, saying, “I am not afraid of you,” to the Trump administration, framing his activism as a "fight for democracy."
Article by the Associated Press.
Further Reading
- Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he's 'in good hands,' focused on peacemaking
- Mahmoud Khalil's wife gives birth after ICE denies Columbia activist's plea for temporary release
- UCLA international student detained at U.S.-Mexico border amid Trump visa cancellations
Insights: Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist, was arrested by ICE during a citizenship interview in Vermont under the claim that his presence and activities posed serious foreign policy consequences. The Trump administration invoked section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. His detention targeted his First Amendment-protected speech, and the case highlighted the administration’s use of immigration law against activists.
- The general-news in Los Angeles has been focused on the release of Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained by the immigration authorities during a citizenship interview.
- The courts in Burlington, Vermont, have made a significant move by freeing Mahdawi, a UCLA alumnus and vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza.
- The release of Mahdawi comes after a contentious immigration detention that sparked protests, with Mahdawi himself asserting, “We want to stand up for humanity."
- The government's argument, citing section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, was not enough to keep Mahdawi in detention, as evidenced by the ruling of U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford.
- Senator Rubio and others may have to reconsider their stance on immigration laws, as the case of Mahdawi, a Palestinian refugee, raises questions about the use of such laws against political activists.
- The requirements for Mahdawi's release, which mandate his stay in Vermont, have not dampened his spirits, as he addressed supporters assertively, saying, “I am not afraid of you," to the Trump administration.
- The ongoing case against Mahdawi, coupled with similar cases like his brother's in a Louisiana ICE facility, is unsettling to many, and has given rise to calls for political reform and justice in California and beyond.
