Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man involved in protests at Columbia University, was tasks in custody of federal agents on Monday when he arrived at a citizenship interview in Vermont, said his lawyers in judicial documents.
Mahdawi’s arrest occurs as the Trump administration Fight to deport Columbia Mahmoud Khalil activist.
Mahdawi’s legal team told CBS News that federal agents informed them that the Trump administration detanked Mahdawi under a dark law that allowed deportations if the Secretary of State decides that someone raises “consequence of advertising policy for the United States.” The administration cited the same willingness to stop Khalil. Mahdawi’s lawyers presented a request in the Court requesting their release, claiming that their detention violated the first amendment.
“The Trump administration arrested Mohsen Mahdai in direct retaliation for his defense in the name of the Palestinians and because identity as Palestine,” said his lawyer, Luna Droubi, in a statement. “His arrest is an attempt to silence those who speak against atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional.”
The National Security Department referred to the request for comments of CBS News to the State Department, which did not immediately answer the questions.
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Mahdawi’s lawyer, Luna Droubi, said in a statement the legal team of Mahdawi “has not received confirmation about her whereabouts despite the numerous attempts to locate it.” Federal judge William Sessions temporarily prohibited the government from retiring Vermont Mahdawi on Monday.
Mahdawi was born in a West Refugee Field and has been a legal permanent resident of the United States during the last decade, according to its lawyers. He completed a program of philosophy in Columbia at the end of last year, and he was expected to graduate in May before looking for a master’s degree from the East Autumn University.
Khalil and Mahdawi co -founded the Union of Palestinian Students of Columbia in 2023, Mahdawi’s lawyers said in judicial documents. Khalil later spoke in the protests of the Campus about the Israel War in the Gaza Strip, which after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Mahdawi has caught attention in the past. Betar Usa-a controversial Pro-Israel group that regularly encourages the Trump administration to detain pro-Palestinian protest leaders tweeted a Mahdawi video in January and said it is in the “sports list” of the organization.
Betar spokesman Daniel Levy told CBS News in a statement that the group “has tested thousands of jihadist names to the Trump administration of visitors to the United States that support Hamas and will continue.”
Mahdawi’s lawyers say he has supported a “peaceful political solution” to the Palestinian conflict. In a 2023 interview with CBS News “” 60 minutes, “Mahdawi told Bill Whitaker about a duration of the campus rally that an unidentified person shouted an anti -Semitic statement. Mahdawi said he was” shocked “and told the person:” It does not represent us. ”
Mahdawi is the last student to face immigration arrest. Khalil, who also has a green card, was arrested Outside his apartment owned by Columbia last month. The government is looking for its removal from the country, battery Or support Hamas and participate in “anti -Semitic protests and disruptive activities.” When asked to provide evidence of Khalil’s arrest, the The Government cited a memorandum of Secretary of State Marco Rubio That said, Khalil’s role in protests on the Campus of Columbia University is in conflict with Objectives of American foreign policy But did not provide any evidence or Khalil declaring Hamas support.
University of Tufts student Rumeysa OzTurb was arrested week later, and his lawyers said he was the subject of co -authorship of an opinion article in the student newspaper.
Khalil and Ozturb are arrested in Louisiana. A federal immigration judge Last week last week The government can advance with its impulse to deport Khalil, but until later this month of seeking the relief of deportation. His lawyers have suggested that they will appeal, and he is demanding separately about his detention. Ozturb is also sue For his release, and his lawyers faced the Trump administration at an audience on Monday.
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has defended the practice of Revoking VishaasWriting about X after Khalil’s trial, “we will revoke the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in the United States so that they can be deported.”
Camilo Montoya-Galvez contributed to this report.