Columbia Activist Mohsen Mahdawi Arrested by ICE, Sparking NYC Protest

Detention of Palestinian Activist

• 🇵🇸 Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian-born green card holder and Columbia University student, was taken into custody by federal immigration agents.
• 🤝 Mahdawi was at a naturalization interview when he was detained, an event captured on video by his friend Christopher Halali.
• ⚖️ Mahdawi's legal team has filed a petition for his release, stating he has been a lawful permanent resident for 10 years.

Activism and Free Speech Concerns

• 🗣️ Mahdawi's friend described him as a "man of peace" whose detention is seen as a suppression of freedom of speech and assembly.
• 🏛️ Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union with Makmoud Khalil, another activist targeted by the Trump administration for alleged alignment with Hamas.
• 🚫 Mahdawi's attorney stated his detention is an attempt to silence dissent against atrocities in Gaza and is unconstitutional.

Protests and Broader Context

• ✊ A rally organized by Jewish Voice for Peace in Manhattan supported Mahdawi and Khalil, calling the administration's actions "morally abhorrent."
• 📢 Protesters emphasized unity in rejecting the government's actions, regardless of stances on Israel-Palestine.
• 🎓 In a related development, the White House is freezing $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University for refusing to limit activism on campus.