Thu May 08 23:03:50 UTC 2025: ## Vermont Launches Legal Fund After Pro-Palestinian Activist’s Deportation Fight
**Montpelier, VT** – Student activist Mohsen Mahdawi, recently released from 16 days of immigration detention, launched a Vermont-based legal defense fund Thursday to aid immigrants facing deportation. Mahdawi, a Palestinian legal permanent resident, was arrested in April under a Cold War-era law, accused by the Trump administration of posing an “adverse foreign policy consequence” due to his pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia University. The administration cited alleged harassment of Jewish students and “pro-Hamas” protests, claims Mahdawi denies and for which no evidence has been presented.
His arrest, described by Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R) as a “surreptitious” action, sparked outrage across the political spectrum. Senator Peter Welch (D) visited Mahdawi in detention, and Governor Scott publicly demanded evidence of any national security threat. A federal court ultimately released Mahdawi on bail, warning the government’s actions risked suppressing free speech.
The newly formed Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund aims to raise $1 million to provide legal representation to immigrants facing deportation. State officials emphasized the fund’s non-partisan nature, highlighting the importance of ensuring access to justice regardless of financial means. Mahdawi, speaking at the launch, expressed gratitude for the support received and urged Vermont to serve as a model for other states. He underscored the human element behind the legal battle, recounting the story of an undocumented farm worker’s nightly prayers, which he felt were answered by the fund’s creation.
First Piper 