Palestinian Student Criticizes Columbia University After Arrest, Pledges to Attend Graduation

A Palestinian student who was arrested during his US naturalization process has criticized Columbia University’s handling of campus protests, accusing the Ivy League institution of undermining democratic values amid continued student activism over the Israel-Hamas war, as per The AP.

Mohsen Mahdawi, 34, a legal permanent resident who has lived in the US since 2014, spent over two weeks in a Vermont immigration detention center before a judge ordered his release on April 30. He spoke publicly on Thursday during a press conference at the Vermont State House, where he also helped announce the launch of the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund.

Mahdawi, who helped lead anti-war demonstrations at Columbia University in 2023 and 2024, said the school is “inciting violence against students” and accused its administration of supporting policies reminiscent of the Trump era.

“Columbia University is participating in the destruction of the democratic system,” he said. “They are punishing and torturing their students.”

His remarks came one day after a renewed wave of protests at Columbia’s Butler Library resulted in clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and campus security. Police reported that at least 80 people were taken into custody.

A university spokesperson declined to comment beyond referring to a public statement by Columbia’s acting president, who addressed the May 8 protest and reaffirmed recent policy changes announced in March, following federal pressure over campus unrest.

Mahdawi’s arrest occurred on April 14 during what he believed would be a routine naturalization appointment in Colchester, Vermont. After completing his written test and interview, he was unexpectedly detained by armed, masked federal agents who entered the room. “I had suspected a trap, but the moment still shocked me,” he said, describing a wave of conflicting emotions at the time of his arrest.

Born in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Mahdawi moved to the US to pursue his education and became a leading student activist at Columbia. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union and served on a campus diplomacy council alongside Israeli, Jewish, and Lebanese students. His arrest and detention drew national attention and sparked renewed concerns over immigration enforcement against student protestors.

Mahdawi is among the first detained students to win release after legally challenging his arrest. In a separate case, a federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, ordering her return from a Louisiana detention center to New England for further legal review.

“These rulings show that justice is functioning,” Mahdawi said. “Checks and balances are still in place.” He offered words of encouragement to other detained students: “Stay positive and don’t let this injustice shake your belief in the inevitability of justice.”