BURLINGTON, VA (AP) – A judge released the leading Palestinian on Wednesday Protest against the war He was arrested in Gaza as a Columbia University student by immigration officers in an interview regarding the completion of his US citizenship.
Outside Vermont court, Mohsen Mahdawi led his supporters by chanting “United will never be defeated”, “No fear”, and “Free Palestine.” He said people must come together to defend both democracy and humanity.
“Never give up on the idea that justice wins,” he said. “We want to stand up to humanity as not only Palestine, but other parts of the world see us, and what happens in America will affect the world.”
His notice appearing before the immigration court states that Mahadawi is removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has determined his presence and activities as “that will have serious adverse foreign policy implications.”
His lawyers say that Mahdawi (a legal permanent resident for 10 years) was detained in retaliation for his speech defending Palestinian human rights.
US District Judge Jeffrey Crawford in Burlington, Vermont issued his sentence Wednesday after a hearing involving Mahdawi, who was arrested by an immigration and customs enforcement agent on April 14.
The government argues that his detention is “a constitutional aspect of the deportation process,” and that district courts are prohibited from hearing the challenges as to when such cases began.
“The district court does not play a role in that process. As a result, the court lacks jurisdiction over the petitioner’s claims. All of this is a challenge to the removal procedure,” wrote Vermont’s representative U.S. Attorney General Michael Drescher. His office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
According to a court application, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp on the west and west coast of Israel and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed his coursework in Columbia and was scheduled to graduate before starting his master’s degree program in May in the fall.
As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic. Israel’s war in Gaza Campus protests were organized until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union in Colombia. Mahmoud Khalil, Another Palestinian permanent resident and graduate student in the United States who were detained by immigration authorities.
Speaking to supporters, Mahdawi spoke directly to President Donald Trump and his cabinet, saying, “I am not afraid of you.”
“If there’s no fear, what can it be replaced by?” he said. “Love. Love is our way.”
Louisiana immigration judge Argued the government’s claims The fact that the existence of Halil in the United States was a “potentially serious foreign policy consequence” met the requirements for deportation.
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