Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student from Columbia University who formerly attended Lehigh, has been released from detention today, according to a New York Times article.
Mahdawi, a native of the West Bank, was taken into custody by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement during his citizenship appointment in Vermont on April 14.
He was a legal permanent resident with a green card who had lived in the U.S for 10 years.
According to the article, Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford from Vermont’s Federal District Court released Mahdawi on bail as he found Mahdawi did not pose a significant threat or flight risk to the public.
Crawford also stated he had received more than 90 submissions from individuals advocating in support of Mahdawi’s character following his arrest.
Mahdawi’s case will continue, but outside of the detention facility, the article stated.
Mahdawi was an active member of his college community who regularly advocated for Palestine.
According to the article, his arrest was on the basis that his campus involvement spread antisemitism. Senator Marco Rubio wrote in a memo that Mahdawi could undermine the process of achieving peace in the Middle East, but he was not accused of a crime, according to the article.
Following Mahdawi’s detainment, members of the Lehigh community said this was contrary to his character, and he was an individual who took the time and care to form relationships with both Jewish and Palestinian students.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, argued against Mahdawi’s release in a social media post, and wrote he should not be allowed to stay in the U.S.
“When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans and harass Jews, that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country,” McLaughlin wrote.
According to the New York Times article, Crawford advocated for his decision, and said Mahdawi’s arrest was an action by the government intended to silence debate.
Following the announcement of his release, Mahdawi was met with a supportive crowd waiting for him outside of the courthouse, the article stated.
“They arrested me. What’s the reason? Because I raised my voice, and I said no to war, yes to peace,” Mahdawi stated. “Because I said, ‘Enough is enough. Killing more than 50,000 Palestinians is more than enough.’ ”
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