Palestinian Student Activist Detained During US Citizenship Interview

Wed Oct 22 2025 16:40:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

**Palestinian Student Activist Detained During US Citizenship Interview**

A pro-Palestinian activist was apprehended by US immigration authorities while applying for citizenship, raising concerns over free speech and deportation efforts.

Mohsen Mahdawi's arrest at a Vermont immigration office has sparked outrage from supporters and criticisms of current immigration enforcement policies.

Mohsen Mahdawi, a green card holder and active participant in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, was arrested by immigration officials while attending a citizenship interview in Colchester, Vermont, according to his lawyer. This incident occurred as Mahdawi prepares to graduate next month, and his lawyer has alleged that the arrest was an act of retaliation due to Mahdawi's involvement in demonstrations against the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.

The attorney representing Mahdawi, Luna Droubi, remarked that his detention represents an unconstitutional effort to suppress voices advocating for Palestinian rights. Mahdawi, born in a West Bank refugee camp and residing in the US since 2014, is known for his outspoken views on Israel's military actions. He co-founded Columbia's Palestinian Student Society and has expressed his criticisms in various media outlets, including an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes in December, during which he accused Israel of committing genocide—a charge that Israel has denied.

Social media footage appears to show Mahdawi being escorted by police, heightening concerns over the treatment of students engaged in political discourse. Amid an escalating immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, reports indicate that 300 foreign student visas have been revoked recently, stirring debates over free speech and accusations of anti-Semitism on campuses.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders took to social media to decry Mahdawi's detention, emphasizing the need for due process. The case has also drawn attention due to concurrent detentions of other student activists, such as Rumeysa Ozturk from Tufts University and Mahmoud Khalil from Columbia, with a federal court recently intervening to prevent Mahdawi's immediate deportation.

As discussions unfold over the implications of these arrests, the legal status and fate of Mahdawi and his peers remain uncertain. The situation highlights the intersection of immigration policy, activism, and civil liberties amidst ongoing debates surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.