Columbia student and activist Mohsen Mahdawi 'duped' into immigration meeting, his lawyer says

Immigration authorities arrested Palestinian student and activist Mohsen Mahdawi, who helped organize pro-Palestinian protests on Columbia University’s campus last year, on Monday in Vermont.

Mahdawi is a legal permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. for 10 years and was set to graduate from Columbia this year. Mahdawi had applied for U.S. citizenship and was arrested at an immigration appointment.

Luna Droubi, Mahdawi’s lawyer, said in an interview with Here & Now that she has reason to believe that Mahdawi was set up to be arrested at his immigration appointment.

“Mr. Mahdawi wants to become a U.S. citizen. This was an important step for him,” Droubi said. “To be duped at that last stage when you've waited 10 years for this to happen to you is devastating. So, you know, we had hoped it wouldn't happen. But we were prepared in case it did."

Mahdawi has not been charged with a crime, and Droubi says the reason behind his arrest is still unclear. She said she sees it as retaliation for his organization and participation in protests against Israel’s war in Gaza.

“Mohsen Mahdawi was a fierce advocate for his people as a Palestinian,” Droubi said. “He has witnessed atrocities that most of us can't comprehend and continues to advocate for their rights. That's all we can tell you."

Here & Now reached out to the immigration office at the Department of Homeland Security. It referred us to the State Department, which declined to comment on the case, citing what it calls “privacy and other considerations.”

Mahdawi’s legal team has fought to keep Mahdawi in Vermont, where he was arrested. He is still detained there. Droubi said the federal government’s strategy in recent immigration arrests has been to relocate detainees to jurisdictions that are not favorable to them.

“Keeping him in the state of Vermont,” Droubi said, “keeps him closer to his support system and jurisdictions that will give him the justice and the understanding of his case that he deserves."

Samantha Raphelson produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Michael Scotto. Raphelson also adapted it for the web with Grace Griffin.