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4w ago

Federal Prosecutors Appeal Release of Palestinian Student Activist Mohsen Mahdawi

A Vermont judge ordered Mahdawi's release on constitutional grounds, but the Trump administration continues to push for his deportation over alleged threats to U.S. foreign policy.

A person sits outside of Columbia University with the pictures of Israeli soldiers killed during the conflict to mark Yom HaZikaron on April 30, in New York City. Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was taken into custody by immigration agents following his naturalization interview in Vermont, has been released on a judge's orders from detention as legal proceedings continue.
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Overview

  • Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student and U.S. green-card holder, was released on bail after a Vermont judge ruled his detention violated First and Fifth Amendment rights.
  • Federal prosecutors have appealed the release to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing immigration courts should have jurisdiction over his case.
  • The Trump administration claims Mahdawi's pro-Palestinian activism poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy, citing controversial and unverified allegations from 2015.
  • Mahdawi denies accusations of antisemitic remarks and insists his arrest was retaliation for his advocacy for Palestinian human rights.
  • Other international students, including Columbia co-founder Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts PhD student Rumeysa Öztürk, remain detained under similar circumstances, raising concerns about free speech and academic freedom.