Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist and permanent resident, was arrested by ICE during a citizenship interview under suspicions that it was a trap. His lawyer insists the detention aims to silence advocacy for Palestinian rights.**
Activist Fears Immigration Interview Was a Setup Leading to Detention**
Activist Fears Immigration Interview Was a Setup Leading to Detention**
Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist, detained by ICE during citizenship interview, alleging motivations tied to his advocacy.**
Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, faced a daunting predicament when he arrived for his scheduled US immigration interview on Monday. Despite holding permanent residency, Mahdawi expressed concerns about potential traps within the citizenship process. His anxiety proved warranted as he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In an interview with CBS News just a day prior, Mahdawi mentioned his apprehension, voicing a lingering belief that the interview could be manipulated against him. "It's the first feeling of like, I've been waiting for this for more than a year," he said. "And the other feeling is like, wait a minute. Is this a honey trap?"
Support for Mahdawi emerged immediately, with protests erupting in New York advocating for his release alongside others reportedly targeted during the Trump administration. Arrested in Colchester, Vermont, Mahdawi was due to graduate soon with a degree in philosophy. His lawyer, Luna Droubi, expressed that the detention was retaliatory for his vocal support of Palestinian issues, calling it an unconstitutional attempt to suppress dissent.
Born in a refugee camp in the West Bank, Mahdawi moved to the United States in 2014 and has since taken on an active role at Columbia, co-founding the Palestinian Student Union. Other activists like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk have also faced detention, adding context to the heightened scrutiny of pro-Palestinian advocacy in academic settings. They've been placed in ICE facilities in Louisiana, with orders preventing their removal from Vermont.
The urgency of Mahdawi's situation is underscored by a federal judge's recent order protecting him from deportation. This comes amid rising tensions surrounding foreign students, as indicated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement of hundreds of revoked visas aimed at combating antisemitism on campuses, a charge that protest leaders vehemently deny.
Prior to his detention, Mahdawi participated in campaigns that called attention to the Gaza crisis, depicting the difficult balance of compassion he holds towards both the Palestinian people and Jewish communities. Just before his arrest, he reiterated his non-violent philosophy during discussions with CBS.
As the wave of detentions continues, legal experts are weighing in on the constitutionality of these policies. Amid uncertainty, some suggest that detaining US citizens could contravene laws, sparking fears of further escalated government overreach in immigrant communities.
