A federal judge in Vermont has ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi. He’s a Palestinian green-card holder and a Columbia University student, and he was detained by the Trump administration two weeks ago on April 14. Mahdawi’s arrest, which took place during a naturalization interview, has sparked significant backlash and raised questions about the legality of his detention and the government’s rationale for his deportation.
Having immigrated to the US more than a decade ago, Mahdawi started his doctoral studies at Columbia University in 2021. He is guilty of no crime whatsoever. A little-known statute gives the Secretary of State the power to revoke the legal status of anyone deemed a threat to foreign policy, leaving him vulnerable to deportation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully rebuked Mahdawi’s pro-Palestinian activities, accusing her of undermining U.S. attempts to fight antisemitism. He said that these moves would undermine the fragile peace process now underway in the Middle East.
The conditions of Mahdawi’s arrest have provoked international outcry. Their resolution passed by the Vermont Senate condemned the way he was captured and asked for his immediate release. Senator Bernie Sanders, along with other Democratic members of Congress, joined the advocacy group MAPA outside the State Department, calling for Mahdawi’s immediate release.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Vermont denounced Mahdawi’s arrest. They understand it to have been a retaliatory act against his outspoken advocacy for Palestinian human rights. They claimed his detention is symptomatic of a larger, coordinated policy designed to repress dissenting opinions for these types of causes.
Geoffrey Crawford, a federal judge in Vermont, highlighted the injustice of Mahdawi’s situation, stating, “The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime.”
On learning the news of his release, Mahdawi told us he felt a sense of relief and hope. He remarked, “For anybody who is doubting justice, this is a light of hope and faith in the justice system in America.” He emphasized the interconnectedness of justice for all peoples, stating, “We are witnessing the fight for justice in America, which means a true democracy, and the fight for justice for Palestinians, which means that both liberation are interconnected, because no one of us is free unless we all are.”
Even while expressing and grappling with tremendous external challenge, Mahdawi managed to maintain an almost palpable internal calm. “I’m grounded, I’m balanced, I’m serene,” he declared. Yet, to his core, he believes in the judicial process. He wrote, “Though deep in injustice, yet I still believe.” I have faith that justice will prevail.
The case is still in progress and we hope that advocates for Mahdawi as well as defenders of our civil liberties will keep watching this important case. This situation is much more than an unfortunate incident involving Mahdawi. It raises important questions and implications about how we treat immigrants and how free speech is protected in the U.S.