Mohsen Mahdawi, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University organizer, was detained by ICE on Monday in Vermont during what he believed was a citizenship appointment. His lawyers quickly sought and obtained a temporary restraining order preventing his transfer to another jurisdiction, citing concerns about a pattern of similar actions against pro-Palestinian student activists.
A Vermont judge granted the restraining order, ensuring that Mahdawi remains in Vermont pending further court proceedings. The lawyers expressed frustration with the lack of transparency regarding Mahdawi's location and the difficulties in navigating the legal process.
Mahdawi, a green card holder for ten years, was born and raised in a West Bank refugee camp and moved to the US in 2014. His lawyers argue his arrest is part of a wider targeting of foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian activities on US college campuses, a pattern attributed to the Trump administration.
The case highlights concerns about the treatment of foreign students involved in political activism and raises questions about the tactics used by ICE in these types of detentions.