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A Palestinian activist has been released from federal custody after a judge ruled that his detention—part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests—violated his constitutional rights and posed a threat to free speech.
Some shit you should know before you read: Earlier this month, Mohsen Mahdawi—a 34-year-old Palestinian refugee from the West Bank and a permanent US resident—was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what was supposed to be his naturalization interview in Vermont. Mahdawi, a graduate student at Columbia University, was a key organizer of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus, particularly those criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Supporters of his arrest, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, claimed that his activism constituted a threat to US foreign policy and allegedly supported antisemitism and terrorism. Critics argue that the arrest was politically motivated retaliation against constitutionally protected speech.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford of the US District Court in Vermont ordered the release of Mahdawi from federal immigration custody, rejecting the Trump administration’s argument that Mahdawi posed a danger to the public or a flight risk. In his ruling, Judge Crawford said that Mahdawi’s continued detention was against the public interest, particularly because it threatened to suppress constitutionally protected political speech. He also noted that Mahdawi “appears not to be either a flight risk or a danger to the community” and stressed that “Mr. Mahdawi’s release will benefit his community, which appears to deeply cherish and value him.”
Despite the judge’s clear rejection of the government’s position, the Department of Homeland Security voiced strong opposition to the ruling. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary, criticized the decision publicly on social media and reiterated the administration’s stance that legal residency is conditional. “When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans, and harass Jews, that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country. No judge, not this one or another, is going to stop the Trump Administration from restoring the rule of law to our immigration system.”
This all comes as the State Department has confirmed it will continue revoking green cards and visas for individuals it claims are involved in activities that threaten US foreign policy or promote antisemitism—part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism under the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been outspoken in defending the policy, stating that the US grants visas and green cards for educational purposes—not activism. “We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campus,” Rubio said, adding, “We don’t want it. We don’t want it in our country. Go back and do it in your country.”
