Palestinian student leading Gaza protest arrested by US Immigration Office

A Palestinian student who led anti-war protests at a U.S. university has been arrested by immigration authorities, according to the Associated Press.

Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal and permanent resident of the United States since 2015, was detained on Monday at the Vermont immigration office where he had gone for an interview regarding his U.S. citizenship process, his lawyer confirmed.

His attorney, Leona Droubi, said they are currently unaware of his whereabouts. A petition has been filed in federal court demanding the government be barred from deporting or relocating him.

Droubi stated via email that Mahdawi's arrest is a targeted move by the Trump administration aimed at silencing pro-Palestinian voices. “This is an unconstitutional act aimed at those speaking out against the atrocities in Gaza,” she said.

According to court documents, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and arrived in the U.S. in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia University and is set to graduate in May, after which he plans to pursue a master’s degree.

Described as a devout Buddhist who values non-violence and compassion, Mahdawi has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

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In March 2024, he helped organize campus protests and co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia alongside fellow student Mahmoud Khalil, who was also recently arrested.

Last Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Mahmoud Khalil could be deported as a threat to national security — the first such ruling under Trump-era directives targeting pro-Gaza campus demonstrators.

A friend of Mahdawi, Christopher Hilali, was present outside the immigration office at the time of the arrest and recorded a video showing Mahdawi flashing a peace sign as he was escorted into a vehicle. Hilali described Mahdawi as a peaceful protester who has worked for dialogue and justice for his homeland.