Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, was released from a deportation center in Vermont after a federal judge ruled in his favor. Mahdawi, a legal US resident, had been detained and ordered deported by the Trump administration on April 14, even though he had not been charged with any crime.
Federal Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered Mahdawi’s release, saying, “The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime.” Crawford also stated, “Mr. Mahdawi, I will order you released,” adding that the evidence suggested Mahdawi was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. The judge criticized the government for failing to show any valid reason for Mahdawi’s continued detention, warning that keeping him locked up would likely suppress free speech.
Mahdawi was released on bail, and he will remain in Vermont while his legal battle continues. He is allowed to travel to New York for school and meet with his lawyers. His case will proceed in federal court, alongside separate immigration proceedings.
After his release, Mahdawi thanked supporters and gave a short speech. “For anybody who is doubting justice, this is a light of hope and faith in the justice system in America,” he said. “We are witnessing the fight for justice in America, which means a true democracy, and the fight for justice for Palestinians, which means that both liberation are interconnected, because no one of us is free unless we all are.”
Mahdawi’s attorney, Shezza Abboushi Dallal, celebrated the decision. “Today’s victory cannot be overstated,” she said. “The court’s order to free Mohsen today is a victory for Mohsen, in his just pursuit of continued advocacy for Palestinian lives, and it is a victory for all people in this country invested in their ability to dissent and speak and protest for causes they are morally drawn to.”
Mahdawi was arrested in Colchester, Vermont, during a naturalization interview by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is one of several international students who have faced deportation under the Trump administration, which has used a little-known law to target people whose presence in the US is seen as a threat to foreign policy.
Mahdawi’s attorneys argue that his detention was retaliation for his outspoken support for Palestinian human rights. They claim that the government is trying to silence him and others who speak out on behalf of Palestinians.
The Trump administration is attempting to deport Mahdawi, arguing that his activities in the US could harm US foreign policy interests, including its efforts to combat antisemitism and support peace in the Middle East. A letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, submitted as part of court filings, claims Mahdawi’s presence and actions undermine these efforts.
The Vermont Senate voted this week to condemn the way Mahdawi was arrested and called for his immediate release, stressing that he should be given due process. The resolution is expected to pass with a final vote on Wednesday. Several members of Congress, including Senator Bernie Sanders, rallied for Mahdawi’s release. Sanders called the detention “cruel and inhumane” and said it was illegal and unconstitutional.
Mahdawi, who came to the US over ten years ago, began his studies at Columbia University in 2021. As a student, he was an outspoken critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza and was involved in campus protests. He stepped back from organizing in March 2024.
In an interview from jail, Mahdawi said, “I’m centered, internally I am at peace. While I still know deeply that this is a level of injustice that I am facing, I have faith. I have faith that justice will prevail.”
Meanwhile, other students facing similar deportation orders are also continuing their legal battles. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate, is challenging his detention in a lawsuit that a judge recently allowed to proceed. Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk and Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri are also detained, fighting against their deportations, which are based on similar foreign policy grounds.
