A Palestinian student at Columbia University has been released from U.S. immigration custody after a federal judge ruled he could remain free while contesting efforts to deport him.
Mohsen Mahdawi, who grew up in a refugee camp in the West Bank, was detained earlier this month while attending a citizenship interview. His arrest came amid an escalating crackdown on foreign students accused of supporting pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses.
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On Wednesday, Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered Mahdawi’s release from detention in Vermont, barring federal authorities from removing him from the state. His legal team described the ruling as a rare check on federal power.
The Trump administration has sought to deport international students it deems critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, framing their activism as a threat to U.S. foreign policy. Officials insist such students forfeit their right to remain in the country.
Several others remain in custody.
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