A Palestinian student at Columbia University has become another person from the institution in recent weeks, detained by American Immigration Officers. According to several reports, Mohsin Mahdavi was detained while involved in a regular naturalization interview in Vermont.
Who is Mohsin Mahdavi?
Mohsin Mahdvi is a Palestinian student at Columbia University and is a permanent American resident. He was detained by immigration officials during his naturalization interview in Vermont.
Mr. Mahdavi has conducted a US Green Card since 2015. Born at a refugee camp at West Bank, he moved to the United States in 2014. He was granted a permanent residence in 2015 and has since chased his academic career.
He recently completed his undergraduate course in Colombia and was set to graduate in May with a plan to start a master’s program at the university in the autumn.
But those plans came to a stop last week when they were detained by immigration and customs enforcement (ICE), which should have been their final stages towards becoming an American citizen.
Known for the activism of his campus, Mr. Mahdvi co-established the Palestinian Students Union in Columbia with another Palestinian student Mahmood Khalil, according to AP. By March 2024, Mr. Mahdvi played a visual role in organizing protests against Israeli’s occupation and military action in Gaza.
The court documents described Mr. Mahdavi as an exercise Buddhist, who “follow the principles of non -violence and sympathy and sympathize as the central principle of his religion.”
Accused of political targeting
According to a filing given by Forbes, Mr. Mahdvi’s detention was not just bureaucracy, but ventilative in nature. The case “worries about the government’s retaliation and targeted prevention and tries to remove Mr. Mahdvi for his constitutionally protected speech,” claims to be filing.
His legal team, led by Luna Droni, said till the evening of 14 April, he had not yet received a formal explanation for his custody.
A temporary preventive order has been issued, which prevents federal officials from excluding Mr. Mahdavi from the vermont, while legal proceedings continue.
Public and political outrage
American MPs, including Senator Berney Sanders and Peter Welch and Representative Bakka Bulint – All Wormont issued a joint statement, condemning Mr. Mahdavi’s detention. He called it “immoral, inhuman and illegal”, Forbes Informed
He said that Mr. Mahdavi, “A legal resident of the United States, should bear the appropriate procedure under the law and be issued immediately.”
Christopher Hellai, a close friend of Mr. Mahdvi, resonated these concerns. Mr. Hellai told AP He was a peaceful protector who constantly demanded to encourage dialogue around the Palestinian cause.
