US appeals court overturns ruling that freed Columbia activist Mahdawi
Summary
A U.S. appeals court reversed a lower court’s decision that had ordered the release of Columbia University activist Mohsen Mahdawi from immigration detention. The Trump administration is continuing efforts to deport Mahdawi, who is a lawful permanent resident and a pro-Palestinian student protester.Key Facts
- The appeals court overturned a 2025 ruling by Judge Geoffrey Crawford to release Mahdawi from detention.
- Mahdawi was arrested in April 2025 after attending what he thought was a U.S. citizenship interview and was detained for two weeks without being charged with a crime.
- He is a lawful permanent resident born in the occupied West Bank.
- The Board of Immigration Appeals reinstated deportation proceedings against him in May, overturning an earlier immigration judge’s decision that had blocked deportation.
- The immigration judge who blocked deportation was later fired by the Trump administration.
- The Trump administration argues it can deport non-citizens if their presence harms U.S. foreign policy interests.
- Mahdawi and human rights lawyers say the government is trying to punish him for his peaceful political speech supporting Palestinian rights.
- Mahdawi’s case is part of a wider crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism on U.S. college campuses by the Trump administration.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
