Overview

• Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian Columbia University student and U.S. green card holder, was detained by ICE during a naturalization interview in Vermont on April 14, 2025.
• A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing Mahdawi's removal from Vermont or the U.S., while his legal team challenges the detention as unconstitutional.
• Mahdawi's lawyers allege the detention is retaliation for his pro-Palestinian activism and violates his First Amendment and due process rights.
• The Trump administration has invoked a rarely used immigration law provision to target pro-Palestinian activists, including Mahdawi and other students like Mahmoud Khalil.
• Vermont lawmakers, including Bernie Sanders, have condemned the detention, calling it illegal and demanding Mahdawi's immediate release.