ICE Arrests Palestinian Activist During Citizenship Interview \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Palestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi was arrested by ICE during a routine citizenship appointment in Vermont, sparking legal and political backlash. The Columbia University activist had organized protests against the Gaza war and is accused by attorneys of being targeted for his views. Vermont’s congressional delegation called for his immediate release.
Quick Looks
- Mohsen Mahdawi arrested at USCIS office in Colchester, Vermont.
- He expected a citizenship interview but was instead detained by ICE.
- Mahdawi is a green card holder and has lived in the U.S. since 2014.
- Attorneys say he was targeted for his Palestinian identity and activism.
- Mahdawi recently completed studies at Columbia and planned to begin a master’s.
- He co-founded Columbia’s Palestinian Student Union and led Gaza protests.
- Friend captured video of peaceful arrest; Mahdawi flashed a peace sign.
- His legal team filed a petition to block his removal from Vermont or the U.S.
- Vermont lawmakers condemned the arrest as “immoral” and “illegal.”
- Comes days after another Palestinian student, Mahmoud Khalil, was ruled deportable.
Deep Look
Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student known for organizing campus protests against the war in Gaza, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Colchester, Vermont, where he had expected to complete one of the final steps toward becoming a U.S. citizen.
The 29-year-old legal permanent resident, who has held a green card since 2015, had recently completed his undergraduate coursework at Columbia University and was preparing to begin a master’s degree in the fall. Instead, Mahdawi was handcuffed by masked officers, his attorneys say, and led away from the building in a scene captured on video by a friend.
Mahdawi’s legal team, who described the arrest as a political retaliation for his activism and an unconstitutional abuse of power, filed a petition in federal court Monday to block his removal from Vermont or the United States.
“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian,” said Luna Droubi, one of Mahdawi’s attorneys. “His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza.”
Born in a refugee camp in the West Bank, Mahdawi moved to the U.S. in 2014 and built his life around education and peaceful activism. According to the court filing, he is a practicing Buddhist who embraces nonviolence and empathy as central to his beliefs.
At Columbia, Mahdawi was an outspoken leader during campus protests opposing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, co-founding the Palestinian Student Union alongside fellow activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was also recently detained by ICE. Khalil’s detention was the first in a wave of enforcement actions tied to the Trump administration’s renewed crackdown on student demonstrators. Last week, a Louisiana immigration judge ruled that Khalil could be deported as a national security risk.
Though Mahdawi was aware he might be detained during his citizenship appointment, he chose to attend anyway, believing he had done nothing wrong.
“He was nervous, yes, but he was also resolute,” said Christopher Helali, a close friend who accompanied him to the appointment and filmed his arrest. “He didn’t want to hide, because he’s been a law-abiding person and believed in the process.”
In the video, Mahdawi is seen flashing a peace sign as agents escort him to a vehicle. Helali described him as a peaceful protester who worked to promote understanding about Palestinian struggles and human rights. He said Mahdawi believed that appearing for his interview was both a legal responsibility and a moral stand.
The arrest drew swift condemnation from Vermont’s congressional delegation, which released a joint statement calling the detention “immoral, inhumane, and illegal.”
“Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention,” read the statement from Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint.
As of Monday evening, Mahdawi’s lawyers said they had not been informed of his location, and federal authorities had not issued any public explanation for his detention.
The arrest comes amid growing national controversy over federal immigration enforcement targeting student activists, especially those from Middle Eastern backgrounds who have protested U.S. foreign policy or supported Palestinian causes.
Civil rights advocates and immigration attorneys fear a chilling effect on political speech and say the recent detentions of Mahdawi and Khalil signal a return to politically motivated immigration enforcement, reminiscent of past crackdowns on dissent.
In Mahdawi’s case, the timing was particularly notable: he was days away from graduation and on the verge of finalizing his U.S. citizenship after a decade of residency. Now, his future in the country remains in doubt.
His supporters, including classmates, faith leaders, and activists across the country, are rallying online under hashtags like #FreeMohsen and #LetHimGraduate, urging federal officials to release him immediately and allow him to complete the citizenship process he had nearly finished.
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