Overview

• Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian Columbia University student and legal permanent U.S. resident, was arrested by ICE during his citizenship interview in Vermont on April 14, 2025.
• A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing Mahdawi’s removal from Vermont or the United States while legal proceedings continue.
• Mahdawi’s detention is part of a broader crackdown on immigrant student activists, with the Trump administration invoking a rarely used immigration law targeting individuals deemed adverse to U.S. foreign policy interests.
• Vermont lawmakers, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch, have condemned the detention as 'immoral, inhumane, and illegal,' demanding Mahdawi’s immediate release and due process.
• Mahdawi’s legal team argues that his detention violates First Amendment rights and represents retaliation for his advocacy on Palestinian issues, further intensifying national debates over free speech and immigration policy.