Columbia activist Mohsen Mahdawi appeals order for removal to Jordan

Columbia University student activist Mohsen Mahdawi filed an appeal on Wednesday against an immigration court decision directing his deportation to Jordan, his attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union announced.

Arrested last April on grounds that his pro-Palestinian activities on campus undermined American foreign policy and efforts against antisemitism, Mahdawi received the removal order from an immigration judge the previous week.

The ACLU and additional counsel submitted appeals to the First Circuit US Court of Appeals on Wednesday while also filing with the Second Circuit regarding his ongoing habeas petition. Representatives contended that the detention amounted to punishment without valid justification and infringed on protected rights.

In remarks, Mahdawi noted his origins in a Palestinian refugee camp and expressed hope of establishing a secure life in the United States. He described the administration's use of immigration statutes to penalize his statements on Palestinian issues as an overreach that affects many residents and citizens alike, vowing to pursue the matter through the courts in defense of free expression.

Removal efforts resume following appeals board reversal

Proceedings to deport Mahdawi restarted in early May after the Board of Immigration Appeals reversed an earlier February ruling that had dismissed the case for insufficient evidence of removability. His lawyer Cyrus Mehta criticized the process as influenced by administrative changes and expressed confidence in upcoming court reviews.

The 34-year-old permanent resident was taken into custody by agents during a citizenship interview, with authorities invoking provisions of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. Officials cited determinations that his activities posed risks to foreign policy objectives.

A ruling issued on the day of arrest prevented his transfer from Vermont pending further review. Legal challenges maintain that the action targeted his activism in violation of speech protections and procedural rights, while the government defends the measures as authorized under existing law.

Background on campus leadership and protests

Mahdawi has engaged in student organizing at institutions in the West Bank and United States since 2014, including leadership in a Fatah-affiliated group and later roles in demonstrations at Columbia, though he indicated reduced involvement after March 2024. He helped establish a Palestinian student organization with another activist facing similar proceedings.

ACLU deputy director Nate Freed Wessler emphasized that detention should not stem from expression and warned of broader implications for speech protections if exceptions are permitted based on official preferences.