Wed Apr 30 17:53:08 UTC 2025: ## Pro-Palestine Student Activist Released on Bail, Defies Trump Administration

**BURLINGTON, VT –** A federal judge has ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student and pro-Palestine activist, who was facing deportation under the Trump administration. Mahdawi, a legal US resident, was arrested earlier this month during a citizenship interview and subsequently detained. His arrest sparked widespread outrage, with critics accusing the administration of targeting pro-Palestine advocacy.

Judge Geoffrey Crawford ruled that Mahdawi posed no flight risk and could be released to attend his upcoming graduation. The judge’s decision allows Mahdawi to continue fighting his deportation case outside of detention. The government, however, had argued his detention was justified under the deportation process.

Mahdawi’s release comes amidst a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on pro-Palestine activism, characterized by critics as an attempt to suppress free speech under the guise of combating anti-Semitism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited a rarely used provision of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, arguing that Mahdawi’s activities posed a potential threat to US foreign policy interests, given Israel’s status as a key ally.

Mahdawi, who co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia, was defiant upon his release, stating he was “not afraid” of President Trump. He also emphasized the peaceful nature of the student protest movement and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. His lawyer, Lia Ernst of the ACLU, argued that his detainment was based solely on the content of his speech and that no crime had been committed.

This case parallels that of Mahmoud Khalil, another Columbia student and pro-Palestine activist who remains in immigration custody in Louisiana facing deportation. A judge recently ruled that Khalil can proceed with a legal challenge against his arrest, arguing that he was targeted for his political views. Both Mahdawi and Khalil’s cases raise concerns about the extent of constitutional free speech protections for non-citizens and could potentially reach the Supreme Court.

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