April 15, 2025 | Vermont — Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University and a U.S. permanent resident, was detained by immigration authorities on Monday during what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process — a naturalization interview in Vermont.
The 26-year-old, who was born and raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank, was taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under circumstances that his legal team describes as “direct retaliation” for his participation in pro-Palestinian protests against the Israel-Gaza war.
Video footage captured at the scene in Colchester, Vermont, showed Mahdawi being escorted in handcuffs by three officers — two of whom had their faces covered — to an unmarked SUV. The footage was shared by a Vermont lawmaker and quickly sparked concern across social media and among civil rights advocates.
According to attorneys Luna Droubi and Andrew Delaney, Mahdawi is currently being held in Vermont and is facing potential deportation. A petition filed by his legal team has challenged the legality of his detention. Later that day, a federal judge issued a temporary block on his removal.
Lawmakers swiftly condemned the detention. In a joint statement, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.) called the arrest “immoral, inhumane, and illegal.”
“Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont, walked into an immigration office for what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process,” the lawmakers wrote. “Instead, he was arrested and removed in handcuffs by plainclothes, armed individuals with their faces covered. These individuals refused to provide any information as to where he was being taken or what would happen to him.”
They added, “Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention.”
The Department of Homeland Security referred inquiries to the State Department, which has yet to respond. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also did not issue a comment. Columbia University, citing federal privacy laws, declined to speak on the matter.
Mahdawi’s detention is the latest in what appears to be a sweeping federal crackdown on foreign students engaged in political activism, particularly those voicing criticism of Israel. Just days earlier, Mahmoud Khalil, another Columbia student and green card holder, was ruled deportable by an immigration judge in Louisiana. Federal officials have accused Khalil of supporting terrorism — accusations he and his legal team strongly deny.
Similar actions have been taken against other students across the U.S., including Rumeysa Öztürk of Tufts University, who was reportedly detained by federal agents after publishing an article critical of her university’s response to the Gaza conflict.
According to an NBC News investigation, hundreds of student visas have been revoked over recent weeks, disproportionately affecting students of Middle Eastern descent from at least 29 states.
Legal filings state that Mahdawi moved to the U.S. in 2014 and had been an active organizer of student-led protests at Columbia University until March 2024. He had taken a brief step back from activism but planned to resume studies at Columbia in the fall to pursue a master’s degree.
This incident has raised alarms among human rights groups, civil liberties advocates, and academic institutions — many warning of a dangerous precedent in targeting individuals for exercising free speech and lawful protest.
The case remains ongoing.
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Columbia Student Detained During U.S. Naturalization Interview, Prompting Outrage