Columbia Student Mohsen Mahdawi on ICE Detention, Palestine, Buddhism, and Justice

Arrest and Detention Experience

• আটক Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student and Palestinian activist, recounts his arrest on April 14th during what he believed was a naturalization interview in Vermont.
• 🚨 He was detained by masked, armed federal agents and separated from his lawyer, facing potential deportation.
• ✈️ An unexpected delay at the airport, caused by needing to use the restroom, prevented him from boarding a flight to Louisiana, which his lawyers believe significantly aided his legal fight.
• ⛓️ Mahdawi spent over two weeks in ICE detention, comparing the experience to a "fabric of injustice" and feeling interconnectedness with his family's history of imprisonment.

Personal History and Trauma

• 🏕️ Born and raised in the Al Farra refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, Mahdawi's family has a history of unjust imprisonment by Israeli authorities.
• 💔 He shared deeply personal traumas, including burying his brother at age 8 after he was denied medical care, witnessing his best friend being shot and killed at age 10, and losing cousins and an uncle to Israeli army actions.
• 🤕 Mahdawi himself was shot in the leg at 15 years old, highlighting the pervasive suffering and trauma experienced by Palestinians.

Buddhism and Peace Advocacy

• 🧘 Mahdawi found solace and a path to managing his trauma and pain through Buddhism, which he discovered in America.
• 🤝 The practice of meditation and empathy helped him center his emotions and connect with others, even those who caused him harm.
• 🕊️ He led Columbia University's Buddhist Association, emphasizing his commitment to peace and nonviolence.

Broader Injustices and Calls for Justice

• ⚖️ Mahdawi draws parallels between his detention and the historical "red scare" and Palmer Raids, as noted by the federal judge who ordered his release.
• ✊ He criticizes the U.S. government and pro-Israel groups for attempting to silence his advocacy for Palestinian rights and an end to the conflict.
• 🌍 Mahdawi emphasizes that the choice is between being pro-peace or pro-war, rejecting any justification for occupation, apartheid, or genocide.

Hopes for the Future and Education

• 🎓 Despite the ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to deport him, Mahdawi hopes to continue his graduate studies at Columbia's SIPA.
• 💡 He views education as a powerful tool for hope and a path forward, inspired by his uncle's words after the Nakba.
• 📢 Mahdawi expresses disappointment with the Columbia University administration's response to student protests and their calls for divestment.
• 💪 He sends a message of resilience and hope to other detained students and to the people of Gaza, urging them not to give up on the idea of justice.