On April 30, 2025, Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi was released from U.S. immigration custody after U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ruled he could contest his deportation while free on bail. Mahdawi, originally from a refugee camp in the West Bank, was arrested earlier in April when he arrived for a U.S. citizenship interview. The arrest was part of the Trump administration’s broader push to deport foreign students supporting pro-Palestinian protests, even if they are in the country legally and have committed no crimes. Officials claimed such protests threaten U.S. foreign policy.
Mahdawi emerged from a Vermont federal courthouse surrounded by supporters and declared his resolve against the administration’s actions, calling his release a symbol of hope and justice. His lawyer, Lia Ernst of the ACLU, stated Mahdawi’s detention was solely based on the content of his speech. Other students in similar situations, including Mahmoud Khalil from Columbia University and Rumeysa Ozturk from Tufts University, remain in custody. The case raises concerns about free speech rights under the First Amendment, with critics labeling the administration’s actions an attack on civil liberties.
Source: Reuters
