Palestinian Columbia Student Freed After Detention by U.S. Immigration Authorities
A federal judge orders the release of Mohsen Mehdaoui after ICE arrested him for pro-Palestinian advocacy; he declares, “I’m not afraid of you,” addressing Trump and his administration.
Watan-CBS News reported that U.S. immigration authorities released Palestinian Columbia University student Mohsen Mehdaoui on Wednesday, following a court order issued by a judge.
After his release, activist Mehdaoui addressed a crowd of supporters with a direct message to President Donald Trump and his administration:“I’m not afraid of you.”
The ruling was delivered by U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford in Burlington, Vermont, after a hearing for Mehdaoui, who has been a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for 10 years. He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on April 14 and held at Northwest State Prison in St. Albans.
The judge later issued an order prohibiting the government from transferring Mehdaoui out of the state—or out of the country.
🚨🇵🇸BREAKING: MOHSEN MAHDAWI IS FREE!
Mahdawi, a student leader from the pro-Palestine movement Columbia University who was detained by ICE, has officially be released!
In the 2 weeks since his unjust arrest, people across the country and world have waged a committed campaign… pic.twitter.com/r0dqj2QLy0
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) April 30, 2025
Mehdaoui’s lawyers stated that his detention was directly linked to public comments he made in defense of Palestinian human rights.
In their petition to keep him in Vermont, his legal team argued that he intends to resume his academic career and pursue a master’s degree in the fall of 2025.
His case mirrors that of fellow Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, another Columbia University student who was detained in New York on March 8 and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana in preparation for deportation. Khalil remains in custody.
