Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, targeted by far-right group Betar, arrested at immigration office. Leaders of Palestinian rights protests facing deportation. Mahdawi detained for speaking out. Will justice prevail for him and others like him? #FreeMahdawi

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/28622366

Julia Conley Apr 14, 2025

"A month after the international far-right pro-Israel group Betar named Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi as the next target in its campaign to push for the deportation of Palestinian rights defenders, Mahdawi was arrested Monday at an immigration office in Colchester, Vermont, where he had arrived to complete a test to be a naturalized U.S. citizen. "

  • samuelazers@lemmy.world
    115·
    4 days ago

    "he had arrived to complete a test to be a naturalized U.S. citizen.

    Mahdawi, who had held a green card for 10 years, was a leader of protests at Columbia last year where students called for the school to divest from companies that benefit from Israel’s policies in the occupied Palestinian territories."

    Common sense would say that he should not attract undue attention if he isn’t a citizen yet. Come into the USA, get an education, become a citizen. Not come then start protests which disrupt other students who are trying to get an education.

    • Shezzagrad@lemmy.mlEnglish
      4·
      4 days ago

      Common sense would say that he should not attract undue attention if he isn’t a citizen yet. Come into the USA, get an education, become a citizen. Not come then start protests which disrupt other students who are trying to get an education.

      Common sense how? Isn’t America proudly yelling the world about being the “land of the free” and “freedom of speech” can you blame anyone for trusting a psychopathic liar