Palestinian student leader Mohsen Mahdawi, a senior at Columbia University, was detained on April 14, 2025, by federal agents during a scheduled citizenship interview in Colchester, Vermont. Mahdawi, a prominent activist involved in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. His legal team alleges that this detention was a retaliatory action targeting his advocacy for Palestinian rights.
According to court filings submitted on April 14, 2025, in the U.S . District Court of Vermont, Mahdawi was apprehended by Homeland Security Investigations officials while attending his naturalization appointment. His lawyers claim that the Trump administration invoked the foreign policy clause of the Immigration and Nationality Act to justify the detention, arguing that Mahdawi’s activism posed adverse foreign policy consequences. Trump administration seeks to deport Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil. Federal Judge William Sessions issued a temporary restraining order preventing Mahdawi’s removal from Vermont or the United States pending further legal proceedings.
Mahdawi, a lawful permanent resident of the United States for the past decade, was born and raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank, according to court records. In 2023, he and fellow student Khalil co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia University. Khalil later emerged as a speaker at campus demonstrations following the start of the Israel-Gaza war, which was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Mahdawi, who planned to begin a master’s degree at Columbia this fall, had previously stepped back from protests to focus on outreach to other campus communities.
In January, a video of Mahdawi was posted on social media by Betar USA — a pro-Israel group known for urging the Trump administration to take action against pro-Palestinian activists — claiming he was included on the organization’s so-called “deport list.” According to his legal team, Mahdawi has consistently denounced hate speech and promoted peaceful dialogue . He has previously criticized provocative rhetoric at protests and emphasized non-violence in student activism.
In a 2023 interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Mahdawi recalled an incident during a campus rally where an unidentified attendee made an antisemitic remark, he told correspondent Bill Whitaker. Mahdawi stated he was “shocked” and responded, “You don’t represent us.” His attorneys cite this moment as evidence contradicting government claims that protesters targeted for deportation are engaging in antisemitism . Mahdawi continues to maintain that peaceful protest and inter-community dialogue are central to his advocacy.
The detainment has drawn criticism from legal experts and lawmakers. Vermont’s congressional delegation labeled the action “immoral, inhumane, and illegal.” Mahdawi’s legal team argues that this case reflects a broader pattern of targeting students involved in Palestinian activism . For further context on immigration legal frameworks, resources from the American Immigration Council, Human Rights Watch, and the National Immigration Law Center provide comprehensive analysis.
