Press Release: Columbia University Student Mohsen Mahdawi Released Amid Deportation Battle
Burlington, Vermont – A US District Judge has ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student and pro-Palestine activist, as he fights against his deportation. Judge Geoffrey Crawford ruled Mahdawi could leave the Northwest State Correctional Facility, where he had been held since his arrest by immigration officials earlier this month.
Following the ruling, Mahdawi was greeted with cheers from supporters as he exited the courthouse, raising his hands in a peace sign. Addressing the media, Mahdawi issued a defiant message to President Trump, stating, "I am not afraid of you," and emphasized the peaceful intentions of the student protest movement. “We are pro-peace and antiwar,” he declared, expressing solidarity with the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Mahdawi, a legal resident of the US, was apprehended on April 14 during a citizenship interview. His case has attracted significant attention against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestine advocacy, which critics describe as a suppression of free speech in academia.
While the immigration case against him proceeds, Judge Crawford determined Mahdawi posed no flight risk and allowed him to attend his graduation next month in New York City. The Trump administration opposed his release, asserting that his detention was a requisite component of the deportation process.
Mahdawi’s lawyers argue that his detention infringes on his constitutional rights and that he has committed no crime. His case highlights a broader controversy regarding the interpretation of speech protections for non-citizens in the US. The outcome of Mahdawi’s case could set a precedent regarding First Amendment rights for foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, Mahdawi’s co-founder of the Palestinian Student Union, Mahmoud Khalil, remains in custody following similar charges and is also fighting deportation.
As Mahdawi prepares for his graduation amid ongoing legal battles, he remains hopeful for justice and the principles of democracy he cherishes.
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