Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian advocacy leader, was arrested at the Vermont immigration office on Monday. He was tricked into coming to the interview by the ICE to attend the interview for his US citizenship. Mahdawi has led several protests during his activism at Columbia University. The protests have highlighted him to the authorities.
As said by his attorney, he was supposed to give an interview there to finalize his citizenship. However, he is also a legal permanent resident who has had a green card since 2015.
His detainment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, despite the fact that he has a green card, has come as a surprise to many. Mahdawi’s attorney has filed a petition in the federal court to bar the government from his deportation. Most of his protests are to advocate against the war going on in Gaza, which is the possible reason for his arrest.
His attorney, Luna Droubi, in an email, shares how the Trump administration has detained Mohsen Mahdawi to retaliate for his advocacy for Palestinians. Moreover, he’s a Palestinian, so his detention is a way to silence anyone who shares views against what’s happening in Gaza. She further says this to be unconstitutional.
— American Federalist Journal (@AmFedJournal) April 15, 2025
As of now, Vermont’s congressional delegation has released a statement condemning Mahdawi’s arrest. They say this to be inhumane, immoral and illegal as Mahdawi is a legal citizen of the US. He is definitely not a criminal and should be released immediately.
Mahdawi has always been vocal about the atrocities in Gaza and led protests. He believed in non-violence and empathy, as he describes himself as a committed Buddhist. Born in a refugee camp in the West Bank, he came to the US in 2014. He was set to pursue a master’s degree after completing his coursework at Columbia University.
He has shared his views on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Besides, he’s the co-founder of the Palestinian Student Union at the university along with Mahmoud Khalil. Even Khalil was detained by the ICE for similar reasons despite being a permanent US resident. Lately, these arrests have proven how being a citizen cannot protect minorities or if someone raises their voice against what’s happening in Gaza.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student and prominent activist at Columbia University, was detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Colchester, Vermont, while appearing for a naturalization test. https://t.co/53rOx8QRve
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 15, 2025
As Trump has not supported Palestine in the past and has assured about his plan to deal with students who participate in the campus protests against the war in Gaza, a Louisiana immigration judge declared Khalil to be a national security risk, considering his deportation.
During Mahdawi’s arrest, his friend Christopher Helali shot a video of him being taken away by the authorities. We can see Mahdawi is shown giving a peace sign with his hands while being taken in a car. Helali has described Mahdawi to be a peaceful advocate for Palestinians and has not been seen as causing a nuisance. So his arrest is uncalled for. Although Mahdawi had an idea about getting detained, he still went there. It might be his way to prove a point!
Helali described Mahdawi as a peaceful demonstrator who has worked to create the struggles in Palestine. He said he and Mahdawi were aware that Mahdawi could be detained today and that his friend went forward with the appointment anyway. Helali further tells how Mahdawi was nervous while he had done nothing wrong, he has always been a law-abiding citizen. Many people have come out to support Mahdawi, demanding his release.
