US immigration judge rejects Trump bid to deport Columbia student Mahdawi | Donald Trump News
Immigration Judge Rules Against Deportation of Palestinian Activist
By [Staff Writer]
An immigration judge in the United States has ruled against the deportation of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student and Palestinian activist arrested last year during protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The decision was announced on February 13 and became public following recent court filings made by Mahdawi’s legal team.
The case has drawn attention as it unfolds amid a crackdown on student activists under the Trump administration. Mahdawi, a longtime Vermont resident and lawful permanent resident, was arrested in April 2023 while attending what he believed to be a meeting regarding his citizenship application. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claimed his detention was “direct retaliation for his advocacy of Palestinian rights.”
This ruling comes as part of ongoing litigation, with the Trump administration appealing to a federal court in New York regarding Mahdawi’s release from custody. The ACLU stated that the immigration court’s decision was made “without prejudice,” meaning the administration retains the option to refile the case against him.
In a public statement released by the ACLU, Mahdawi expressed gratitude towards the immigration court for its decision, viewing it as a vindication of free speech rights. “I am grateful to the court for honoring the rule of law and holding the line against the government’s attempts to trample on due process,” he said.
Raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, Mahdawi has emerged as a prominent member of Columbia’s activist community, co-founding a Palestinian student society alongside fellow student Mahmoud Khalil. Columbia has recently become a focal point for pro-Palestinian activism, coinciding with Trump’s reelection campaign, which included promises to clamp down on such protests.
Khalil was the first student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March 2023, shortly after the start of Trump’s second term. Following his own arrest, Mahdawi was ultimately released on April 30, 2023, after U.S. Judge Geoffrey Crawford criticized the government for taking “great harm” against him despite no criminal wrongdoings on Mahdawi’s part.
Human rights advocates have condemned the Trump administration’s actions as an effort to silence and intimidate foreign-born activists in the United States. The administration has pressured universities to take action against pro-Palestinian demonstrations, often linking them to claims of anti-Semitism.
In July, Columbia University reached a $200 million settlement with the Trump administration, including $21 million connected to an investigation into alleged religious harassment, without admitting any wrongdoing.
Mahdawi’s case has become emblematic of a broader struggle for free speech within the context of activism and immigration policy, particularly for those advocating for Palestinian rights.
