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Mohsen Mahdawi

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Mohsen Mahdawi
محسن المهداوي
Mahdawi in May 2025

Mohsen Mahdawi (Arabic: محسن المهداوي) is a Palestinian activist and student at Columbia University's School of General Studies. On April 14, 2025, he was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a trap set at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Colchester, Vermont, where he was informed he had an interview to obtain U.S. citizenship.[1][2][3] Mahdawi was among a number of student activists targeted by the Trump administration for deportation. His legal team immediately filed a habeas corpus petition against Donald Trump and his administration, describing his detention as unlawful, and judge William K. Sessions III granted a temporary restraining order to prevent federal authorities from transferring him out of Vermont.

He was released on April 30, 2025 by federal judge Geoffrey W. Crawford, who stated that "the two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime."[4][5]

Biography

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Early life

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Mohsen Mahdawi is a third-generation Palestinian refugee[6] from the Far'a refugee camp, where he lived until 2014.[7] Mahdawi said that, in his childhood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, he saw his best friend—then 12 years old—shot and killed by an Israeli soldier.[8][9] He also said an Israeli soldier shot him in the leg when he was 15.[10][11]

In 2014, Mahdawi moved to the United States, and in 2015 he became a legal permanent resident with a green card.[12] He enrolled at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in 2018 to study computer science.

At Columbia

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Mahdawi transferred to Columbia University's School of General Studies to study philosophy.[10][13] He was expected to graduate in May 2025,[13] and was accepted into a master's program at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.[12]

Mahdawi is a Buddhist who believes in "non-violence and empathy as a central tenet of his religion".[13] He served as president of the Columbia University Buddhist Association[10] and organized a large Vesak festival at the University in collaboration with the Buddhist Council of New York in 2023.[14] In August 2024, he engaged in a discussion with Buddhist monk Bhikkhu Bodhi,[14] the president of the Buddhist Association of the United States.[15]

Pro-Palestinian advocacy and protests during the Gaza war

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Following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, Mahdawi led and helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.[12] In a December 2023 interview with 60 Minutes, he has said that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and that he wanted a peaceful end to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[13][8][9][16] Mahdawi and fellow Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil co-founded Dar: the Palestinian Student Society to "celebrate Palestinian culture, history, and identity".[16]

November 9, 2023 protest at Columbia University
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Further information: Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus protests and occupations during the Gaza war § November 9, 2023: Walkout and art installation at Low Plaza

At a walkout, art installation, and die-in protest held by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at the steps of Low Memorial Library on November 9, 2023, Mahdawi told his story of growing up in a refugee camp in the Israeli occupied West Bank, of witnessing his 12-year-old best friend killed in front of him by an Israeli soldier, and of being shot in the leg himself at 15 years of age, also by an Israeli soldier.[17] There were pro-Israel counter-protesters, whom Mahdawi addressed: "Even though you're on the other side, we beg you, we cry, we ask you to see the humanity in us, to join us in our fight for freedom, for justice, for humanity."[17]

An unidentified person interrupted the protest, approaching and screaming anti-Jewish and anti-Black slurs and profanities, climbing over a chain barrier and reportedly trying "to instigate fights with numerous students".[17] According to The New York Times, a "student on the outskirts of a Nov. 9 protest had shouted antisemitic curses", but "he was not affiliated with any of the student groups, and was shouted down by the pro-Palestinian protesters",[18] including Mahdawi,[19] who denounced the individual directly.[17] Using the microphone, Mahdawi said, "Shame on the person who called [for] 'death to Jews,'" and the crowd of demonstrators started chanting "shame on you", joining in his condemnation of the unidentified individual's hateful remarks.[17]

The following day, Gerald Rosberg, then a senior administrator at Columbia, announced the suspension of SJP and JVP for what he called an "unauthorized event" that included "threatening rhetoric and intimidation".[20][21] The suspension came after senior administrators quietly revised policies cited in the suspension on October 24, adding a new section to the University Event Policy webpage that declared the administration's right to "regulate the time, place and manner of certain forms of public expression"[22] without input from the University Senate.[23][22]

Columbia's claim that the "threatening rhetoric and intimidation" came from SJP and JVP was debunked by journalists, and retracted by Rosberg privately in a University Senate Plenary on November 17, 2023. However, Columbia did not reverse the suspension of SJP and JVP, and it never retracted the statement; nor did it issue a public statement to correct and clarify the matter.[24] U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later cited the phrase "threatening rhetoric and intimidation" verbatim, apparently drawing from the statement that Columbia never retracted, in an April 2025 memo drawn up to support his case against Mahdawi.[25][26]

Columbia University Apartheid Divest

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Mahdawi also helped organize and launch Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of over 80 student groups[27] (later amassing over 120 student groups)[28] formed after Columbia's administration quietly changed the university's event policy before banning Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace.[27][29] CUAD was launched on November 14, four days after the administration banned SJP and JVP.[28] CUAD led multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrations calling on the university to divest from Israel.[16]

Spring 2024: Outreach

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In the spring of 2024, Mahdawi stepped back from the movement to focus on fostering connections with Jewish and Israeli students.[30] He invited several of his critics, including assistant professor Shai Davidai, to speak with him,[31] and remained in contact with David Myers, a former leader of the progressive New Israel Fund and a professor of Jewish history at the University of California, Los Angeles.[32] He repeatedly denounced antisemitism in speeches and interviews, and connected his opposition to antisemitism with his support for the Palestinian cause, saying that "the fight for the freedom of Palestine and the fight against antisemitism go hand in hand, because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."[30] One of Mahdawi's Israeli colleagues, Aharon Dardik, stated that Mahdawi was vocally opposed to terrorism and antisemitism, instead advocating for peaceful opposition to the conflict.[33] Mahdawi and Dardik created a "framework for the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" as one of their class's final research projects.[31][32]

Trap, arrest, detention, and release

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Main article: Detention of Mohsen Mahdawi

On April 14, 2025, Mahdawi was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a trap set at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Colchester, Vermont, where USCIS had informed him he had an interview to obtain U.S. citizenship.[34][35][36]

On April 30, 2025 federal judge Geoffrey W. Crawford in Vermont ordered the release of Mahdawi, stating that "the two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime."[37][38]

References

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  1. ^ Lacy, Akela (2025-04-14). "Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE". The Intercept. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  2. ^ Betts, Anna (2025-04-14). "Mohsen Mahdawi, Palestinian green card holder and Columbia student, detained by Ice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  3. ^ Otterman, Sharon; Ley, Ana (2025-04-14). "Columbia Activist Arrested by ICE at His Appointment for Citizenship". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  4. ^ Betts, Anna (2025-04-30). "Federal judge in Vermont orders release of Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  5. ^ Martínez-Beltrán, Sergio (2025-04-30). "Federal judge orders release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi". NPR. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  6. ^ Cruz, Liset; Fahy, Claire (2023-11-15). "Columbia Faces Protests After Suspending 2 Pro-Palestinian Groups". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  7. ^ Mansoor, Saad (2019-03-24). "Lehigh holds vigil after massacre". The Brown and White. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  8. ^ a b Whitaker, Bill (2023-12-03). "60 Minutes: Tensions over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war surge on college campuses". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  9. ^ a b "Columbia University student arrested, detained by DHS agents, lawyer says". ABC7 New York. 2025-04-14. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  10. ^ a b c Alfred, Tsehai. "Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi, GS '25, detained by ICE at naturalization appointment". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  11. ^ Mendell, Chris. "Hundreds of pro-Palestinian students walk out as part of national call to action, gather for 'peaceful protest art installation'". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  12. ^ a b c Betts, Anna (2025-04-14). "Mohsen Mahdawi, Palestinian green card holder and Columbia student, detained by Ice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  13. ^ a b c d "Mohsen Mahdawi: Palestinian student activist arrested at US citizenship interview". BBC News. 2025-04-14. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  14. ^ a b Keezing, Michael Santi (2025-04-21). "Mohsen Mahdawi, the Buddhist". Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  15. ^ Sperry, Rod Meade. "Coalition of Buddhist teachers, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi issue new letters of support for Mohsen Mahdawi". Lion’s Roar. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  16. ^ a b c Otterman, Sharon; Ley, Ana (2025-04-14). "Columbia Activist Arrested by ICE at His Appointment for Citizenship". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  17. ^ a b c d e Mendell, Chris. "Hundreds of pro-Palestinian students walk out as part of national call to action, gather for 'peaceful protest art installation'". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
  18. ^ Otterman, Sharon (2023-12-28). "How Columbia's President Has Avoided Fallout Over Israel-Gaza Protests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  19. ^ Bose, Meghnad. "The State Department Relied on Columbia University's Mischaracterization of Protests to Arrest Mohsen Mahdawi". www.dropsitenews.com. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  20. ^ "Statement From Gerald Rosberg, Chair of the Special Committee on Campus Safety". Columbia News. 2025-03-06. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  21. ^ Huddleston, Sarah. "Columbia suspends SJP and JVP following 'unauthorized' Thursday walkout". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  22. ^ a b Huddleston, Sarah. "Top administration revised policies cited in SJP and JVP's suspension without University Senate input, Rosberg confirms". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  23. ^ Huddleston, Sarah. "Columbia updated its event policy webpages. Seventeen days later, it suspended SJP and JVP". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  24. ^ Bose, Meghnad. "The State Department Relied on Columbia University's Mischaracterization of Protests to Arrest Mohsen Mahdawi". www.dropsitenews.com. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  25. ^ Bose, Meghnad. "The State Department Relied on Columbia University's Mischaracterization of Protests to Arrest Mohsen Mahdawi". www.dropsitenews.com. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  26. ^ Aleaziz, Hamed; Bromwich, Jonah E. (2025-04-15). "U.S. Cites Mideast Peace Process to Justify Move to Deport Student". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  27. ^ a b Mendell, Chris. "Over 80 student groups form coalition following suspension of SJP, JVP". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  28. ^ a b M., Dasha; Qashou, Luma; Behrangi, Parviz; Reynolds, Caroline; Haddad, Amal (2024-07-02). "Palestine is the Vanguard for Our Liberation: Insights from the Students' Intifada at Columbia University". Middle East Critique. 33 (3): 487–516. doi:10.1080/19436149.2024.2383827. ISSN 1943-6149.
  29. ^ "Columbia University Apartheid Divest: Who we are". Columbia Daily Spectator. November 14, 2023. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  30. ^ a b Lacy, Akela (2025-04-15). ""How Can I Take Anyone Seriously Talking About Mohsen Being Antisemitic?"". The Intercept. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  31. ^ a b Alfred, Tsehai. "'Thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent': Friends of Mohsen Mahdawi, GS '25, speak against characterizations of him by the federal government". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  32. ^ a b Ley, Ana; Otterman, Sharon; Bhutani, Anvee (2025-04-17). "He Wanted Peace in the Middle East. ICE Wants to Deport Him". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  33. ^ Lacy, Akela (2025-04-15). ""How Can I Take Anyone Seriously Talking About Mohsen Being Antisemitic?"". The Intercept. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  34. ^ Lacy, Akela (2025-04-14). "Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE". The Intercept. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  35. ^ Betts, Anna (2025-04-14). "Mohsen Mahdawi, Palestinian green card holder and Columbia student, detained by Ice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  36. ^ Otterman, Sharon; Ley, Ana (2025-04-14). "Columbia Activist Arrested by ICE at His Appointment for Citizenship". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  37. ^ Betts, Anna (2025-04-30). "Federal judge in Vermont orders release of Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  38. ^ Martínez-Beltrán, Sergio (2025-04-30). "Federal judge orders release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi". NPR. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
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