Palestinian Columbia student detained by U.S. officials amid citizenship process; critics cite free speech violations and demand his release.

US officials detained Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, on Monday when he arrived at an immigration office in Vermont for an interview regarding his U.S. citizenship petition.

Mahdawi, who was born and raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank, moved to the United States in 2014 and obtained permanent residency in 2015.

A video recorded by a friend captured Mahdawi being escorted by authorities to a vehicle while flashing a peace sign with his hands. The location where he is currently being held remains unknown.

According to a court filing, Mahdawi recently completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia University and was expected to graduate in May. He had planned to begin a master’s program at the university in the fall.

At Columbia, Mahdawi was active in campus advocacy, playing a significant role in organizing pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s military actions in Gaza in response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas. He was a vocal critic of Israel’s offensive and co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia, along with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian student who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Khalil was the first person arrested under former President Donald Trump’s policy targeting students who participated in campus protests against the war in Gaza. Last Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil could be deported on the grounds of being a national security risk.

This ruling enables the Trump administration to continue its efforts to deport foreign students supporting Palestinian causes, even if they are legally present in the country and have not committed any crimes.

The policy has drawn strong criticism, with opponents arguing it violates First Amendment rights. “You can't disappear people for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland in a video statement on Monday.

Senator Bernie Sanders and other members of Vermont’s Congressional delegation called Mahdawi’s detention “immoral, inhumane, and illegal,” insisting that he should receive due process and be released without delay.

A judge in Vermont has since ordered the Trump administration not to deport Mahdawi or move him out of the state.