Overview

• Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, a lawful permanent resident, was arrested on April 14 during his naturalization interview in Vermont under a rarely used immigration law provision.
• U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ruled on April 30 that Mahdawi posed no flight risk and ordered his release on bail while his case proceeds in federal court.
• The Trump administration claims Mahdawi’s activism could undermine U.S. foreign policy, while his attorneys argue that his detention violates his First Amendment rights and retaliates against his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
• Mahdawi’s case has drawn national attention as part of a broader crackdown on Palestinian and pro-Palestinian activists under the Trump administration, including the detention of fellow Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil.
• Khalil remains in ICE custody in Louisiana, but a New Jersey judge ruled that his habeas petition challenging his detention and deportation order can proceed in federal court.