April 15 (UPI) — A Palestinian student activist at Columbia University was arrested Monday, seemingly becoming the latest person detained in the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters at institutions of higher learning.
The student, Mohsen Mahdawi, was arrested by Department of Homeland Security agents on Monday, despite being a permanent resident who has held a green card since 2014, according to a habeas corpus filing against his detention in the U.S. District Court of Vermont.
In the lawsuit, his legal team argues that their client’s arrest and detention are unlawful and are part of a State Department policy “to retaliate and punish noncitizens for their speech and expressive conduct related to Palestine and Israel.”
The habeas corpus petition states that the U.S. government is seeking Mahdawi’s removal under a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that was also used to detain Mahmoud Khalil, another Columbia student, on March 8 for similar speech.
“The government has made clear that it intends to retaliate and punish individuals such as Mr. Mahdawi who advocated for cease-fire and ending the bloodshed in Gaza,” the habeas petition states.
“Respondents’ actions plainly violate the First Amendment, which protects Mr. Mahdawi’s right to speak on matters of public concern and prevents the government from chilling constitutionally protected speech.”
The filing names President Donald Trump and others of his administration as respondents.
UPI has contacted his lawyer, Luna Droubi, for comment.
U.S. District Judge William Sessions of the Vermont district court on Wednesday issued an order preventing the U.S. government from moving Mahdawi from the district.
Mahdawi, who was born in a West Bank refugee camp, was an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza and an activist and organizer of student protests at Columbia until March, the petition states, explaining “after which he took a step back and has not been involved in organizing.”
While active in the protests, he appeared in televised interviews, including an appearance on 60 Minutes, and in print news articles.
Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., said in a statement that Mahdawi had been arrested after walking into an immigration office to complete “the final step” of his citizenship process.
“Instead, he was handcuffed and arrested by plainclothes, armed individuals with their faces covered,” she said.
“This is immoral, inhumane and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi must receive due process and be immediately released.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said the arresting agents refused to state where they were taking Mahdawi and what was to happen to him.
“Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention,” Sanders said in a statement.
The Trump administration has targeted foreign-born students and universities on accusations of anti-Semitism after universities across the country became sites of pro-Palestine protests last summer, demanding the schools divest from Israel and Israeli companies.
Hundreds of students have had their visas revoked by Trump’s State Department over pro-Palestinian protests or comments made online. Like Khalil and now Mahdawi, some have been detained and arrested.
On Monday, MIT President Sally Kornbluth said nine of its students, recent graduates and postdocs have had their visas and immigration status revoked.
Universities, such as Harvard and Columbia, have had their federal funding threatened if they do not adopt policies that align with the Trump administration, attracting criticism that the federal government is attempting to chill free speech at institutions of higher education while also seeking to influence their curricula and staffing decisions.
Khalil, seemingly the first student arrested in the crackdown, is accused of supporting Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
A judge on Friday ruled he is eligible for deportation.
