Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident holding a green card since 2015, got arrested at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, his lawyers said. Not really sure why this matters, but it was on Monday, April 14, 2025.
Mahdawi, who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, was expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship before being detained. Not really sure why this matters, but the attorneys don’t know where he is.
They filed a petition in federal court to stop him from being removed from the state or country. Maybe it’s just me, but his detention seems like an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza.
The Trump administration detained Mahdawi in retaliation for advocating for Palestinians and because he is Palestinian, his attorneys said. It’s also unconstitutional.
Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014, according to the court filing. Maybe it’s just me, but he was expected to graduate in May and start a master’s degree program at Columbia.
He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia and was critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza until March 2024. Maybe it’s just me, but Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident, was the first person arrested under President Donald Trump’s crackdown on students protesting the war in Gaza.
Mahdawi was detained by ICE even though he was going for an immigration interview. Maybe it’s just me, but he was nervous but resolute in attending the interview.
Vermont’s congressional delegation condemned Mahdawi’s arrest, saying it was immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Maybe it’s just me, but he should be released immediately.
