Pro-Palestinian Columbia activist arrested by ICE during citizenship appointment

A pro-Palestinian activist from Columbia University was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during his citizenship appointment.

Mohsen Mahdawi, who had been living as a legal resident in the United States for 10 years, was arrested during his naturalization interview in Vermont on Monday, according to a document filed by his attorney, Luna Droubi.

Mahdawi, who was born and raised in a West Bank refugee camp, had organized several pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University last year.

The Columbia student had been recognized as a fierce critic of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, following the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023.

According to the New York Times, hours after his arrest, Mahdawi's mother, older sister and lawyers attempted to locate him after he was held at an immigration facility in Colchester, Vermont.

After the detention, the lawyers sought a temporary restraining order to prevent federal officials from moving the Palestinian activist to a more conservative jurisdiction, "a tactic used to deport at least four other college demonstrators," the NYT described.

Federal Judge William K. Sessions III almost immediately granted the request, ordering that Mahdawi not be removed from the United States or transferred out of Vermont until further order.

Attorneys confirmed that Mahdawi remained in Vermont by late Monday afternoon.

“This is their M.O.,” criticized the activist's lawyer Luna Droubi. “They just continue to hide the individual to the point where their attorneys can’t quite understand or identify where to file. And so, you know, we’re operating blind, and they have all the information, and yet we’re tasked with attempting to file in the right jurisdiction.”

Mahdawi's detention comes at a time when immigration authorities are targeting pro-Palestinian activists linked to Hamas. Several students, including Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil, are on the verge of being expelled from the country amid attempted legal battles.

The deportations are being carried out on the grounds that the presence of these pro-Palestinian activists pose a threat to U.S. foreign policy and national security.