Appeals court overturns release order for foreign student arrested in Vermont
The panel said Mahdawi’s detention challenge must first go through immigration court, a ruling that could limit release bids by green card holders.
- On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that ordered the release of Columbia University activist Mohsen Mahdawi from immigration detention, ruling his case must proceed through immigration court instead.
- Federal agents arrested Mahdawi, a Palestinian-born lawful U.S. permanent resident, during a citizenship interview in April 2025, amid the Trump administration's broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activism.
- State Secretary Marco Rubio argued Mahdawi's presence could "potentially undermine" U.S. foreign policy on the basis of "adverse foreign policy consequences," while human rights lawyers contend the government is retaliating against constitutionally protected speech.
- Previously, the Board of Immigration Appeals reinstated deportation proceedings after overturning an earlier decision by immigration judge Nina Froes, and the ruling sends the detention challenge back to the executive branch immigration court system.
- Mahdawi, who co-founded Columbia University's Palestinian Student Union, has accused the administration of "weaponising the immigration system" to silence his political views in a case closely watched for its implications on non-citizen speech rights.
63 Articles
63 Articles
Appeals Court Reverses Columbia Student's Release
A federal appeals court overturned a lower court's order freeing a Palestinian Columbia University student from immigration detention, a ruling that strengthens the Trump administration's authority to deport noncitizens designated as foreign policy threats. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled unanimously on Tuesday that the district court judge who ordered Mohsen Mahdawi's release had overstepped, finding that federal law barred …
Center for Constitutional Rights
Common DreamsIn Big Win, Appeals Court Affirms Release of Georgetown Peace Scholar Detained by ICE for His Speech
In Big Win, Appeals Court Affirms Release of Georgetown Peace Scholar Detained by ICE for His SpeechJuly 23, 2026The decision creates a circuit split on whether federal courts can review claims of unconstitutional immigration detention July 23, 2026, Richmond, VA – The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals today...
“Enough Is Enough”: Mohsen Mahdawi Says New Deportation Threat Seeks to Silence Palestine Activism
Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi, whose arrest by masked and hooded ICE agents when he arrived for his naturalization interview to become a U.S. citizen made national headlines last year, is facing a new deportation threat after a three-judge panel overturned a lower court ruling that had freed him from ICE custody. Mahdawi was involved in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University, where he was a student, demanding an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. He says he is being targeted solely
Federal court reverses decision to release pro-Hamas Palestinian activist
US appeals court overturns lower court decision ordering the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, who was arrested in 2025 and faced deportation over his anti-American and pro-Hamas activism. By World Israel News Staff A federal appeals court has overturned the order that freed Columbia University activist Mohsen Mahdawi from immigration detention, ruling that his challenge must first proceed through the immigration court system. A unanimous three-judge p…
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