A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student activist and legal U.S. resident, who was arrested by ICE agents during a citizenship interview earlier this month. U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ruled in Burlington, Vermont, that Mahdawi should not be removed from the state or country while his case proceeds.
Mahdawi, who has lived in the U.S. since 2014, recently completed coursework at Columbia University and planned to begin a master’s program in the fall. His lawyers allege his detention was retaliation for organizing campus protests against the war in Gaza and advocating for Palestinian rights.
When I met with Mohsen Mahdawi where he was being held in Vermont, I was struck by his belief in American democracy despite his unjust detainment.
— Senator Peter Welch (@SenPeterWelch) April 30, 2025
I'm thankful that at least for today, justice has prevailed.
A federal judge has ordered Mohsen's release.
The government argues Mahdawi’s presence poses serious foreign policy concerns, citing a determination by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Federal attorneys maintain district courts lack jurisdiction to intervene in deportation proceedings.
Mahdawi cofounded Columbia’s Palestinian Student Union with Mahmoud Khalil, another student activist who was also recently detained.
