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New -- The court has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the removal of Mohsen Mahdawi from the US or Vermont.
Reposted by Stop Illegal Ideas Hat
Prem Thakker ツ
@premthakker.bsky.social
Follow
New — The court has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the removal of Mohsen Mahdawi from the US or Vermont.
The Trump-Vance administration ignored such an order previously, when it moved Rumeysa Ozturk out of Massachusetts to Louisiana.
ORDER
In order to preserve this Court’s jurisdiction, and pursuant to the All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C.
§ 1651, it is ordered that the Petitioner, Mohsen Madawi, not be removed from the United States
or moved out of the territory of the District of Vermont pending further order of this Court.
DATED at Burlington, in the District of Vermont, this 14th day of April, 2025.
/s/ Hon. William K. Sessions III
Hon. William K. Sessions III
U.S. District Judge
ALT
Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social
·
5h
The Trump admin has just detained Mohsen Mahdawi, who:
–has green card
–was Columbia Buddhist club president
–saw his best friend shot & killed by Israeli soldier
–said "we are against antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
In addition to violating Mr. Mahdawi’s First Amendment rights, the Rubio
Determination and Mr. Mahdawi’s unlawful detention also violates Mr. Mahdawi’s statutory rights
and due process rights.
PARTIES
8. Petitioner Mohsen Mahdawi is a Palestinian who was born and raised in a refugee
camp in the West Bank. He is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and has been for
the last ten years. He is a recent student of Columbia University, with an expected graduation date
of May 2025. He has been admitted to a Master’s program at Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs (“SIPA”), to begin in the fall of 2025.
ALT
After growing up in a refugee camp, Mr. Mahdawi felt compelled to advocate for
Palestinian human rights upon moving to the United States.
22. Mr. Mahdawi is also a committed Buddhist and believes in non-violence and
empathy as a central tenet of his religion. In fall of 2021, he became the president of the Columbia
University Buddhist Association and led it for two years.
23. In fall of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union (“Dar”) at
Columbia University which “serves to engage with and celebrate Palestinian culture, history, and
identity.” Mr. Mahdawi co-founded this organization with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian lawful
permanent resident who was also recently detained by ICE for his expressive conduct related to
Palestine.
ALT
Mr. Mahdawi appeared in numerous televised interviews and print news articles
regarding the military campaign in Gaza and related protests. In December of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi
appeared on 60 Minutes where he shared that, as a child, he watched an Israeli soldier shoot and
kill his best friend in the West Bank.
27. Throughout his time as a student and a leader of Dar and the Columbia University
Buddhist Association, Mr. Mahdawi was always willing to engage in dialogue with people whose
views and beliefs differed from his own. Mr. Mahdawi believed, and continues to believe, that
more speech is the solution to disagreement, rather than less, and that empathy and understanding
through communication are a way to resolve conflicts peacefully.
ALT
…and a peaceful political solution. Mr. Mahdawi gave speeches at several of these protests. In his
speeches, Mr. Mahdawi advocated for Palestinian human rights, a permanent ceasefire, and a
peaceful resolution that affirmed the human dignity of all.
25. During one protest, Mr. Mahdawi vocally denounced an unaffiliated passerby who
made an antisemitic comment, chanting “shame on him”. Mr. Mahdawi stated that “we are against
2:25-cv-00389 Document 1 Filed 04/14/25 Page 6 of 19
7
antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.” The confrontation was documented by the Columbia Spectator
ALT
April 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
@premthakker.bsky.social
Follow
New — The court has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the removal of Mohsen Mahdawi from the US or Vermont.
The Trump-Vance administration ignored such an order previously, when it moved Rumeysa Ozturk out of Massachusetts to Louisiana.
ORDER
In order to preserve this Court’s jurisdiction, and pursuant to the All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C.
§ 1651, it is ordered that the Petitioner, Mohsen Madawi, not be removed from the United States
or moved out of the territory of the District of Vermont pending further order of this Court.
DATED at Burlington, in the District of Vermont, this 14th day of April, 2025.
/s/ Hon. William K. Sessions III
Hon. William K. Sessions III
U.S. District Judge
ALT
Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social
·
5h
The Trump admin has just detained Mohsen Mahdawi, who:
–has green card
–was Columbia Buddhist club president
–saw his best friend shot & killed by Israeli soldier
–said "we are against antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
In addition to violating Mr. Mahdawi’s First Amendment rights, the Rubio
Determination and Mr. Mahdawi’s unlawful detention also violates Mr. Mahdawi’s statutory rights
and due process rights.
PARTIES
8. Petitioner Mohsen Mahdawi is a Palestinian who was born and raised in a refugee
camp in the West Bank. He is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and has been for
the last ten years. He is a recent student of Columbia University, with an expected graduation date
of May 2025. He has been admitted to a Master’s program at Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs (“SIPA”), to begin in the fall of 2025.
ALT
After growing up in a refugee camp, Mr. Mahdawi felt compelled to advocate for
Palestinian human rights upon moving to the United States.
22. Mr. Mahdawi is also a committed Buddhist and believes in non-violence and
empathy as a central tenet of his religion. In fall of 2021, he became the president of the Columbia
University Buddhist Association and led it for two years.
23. In fall of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union (“Dar”) at
Columbia University which “serves to engage with and celebrate Palestinian culture, history, and
identity.” Mr. Mahdawi co-founded this organization with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian lawful
permanent resident who was also recently detained by ICE for his expressive conduct related to
Palestine.
ALT
Mr. Mahdawi appeared in numerous televised interviews and print news articles
regarding the military campaign in Gaza and related protests. In December of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi
appeared on 60 Minutes where he shared that, as a child, he watched an Israeli soldier shoot and
kill his best friend in the West Bank.
27. Throughout his time as a student and a leader of Dar and the Columbia University
Buddhist Association, Mr. Mahdawi was always willing to engage in dialogue with people whose
views and beliefs differed from his own. Mr. Mahdawi believed, and continues to believe, that
more speech is the solution to disagreement, rather than less, and that empathy and understanding
through communication are a way to resolve conflicts peacefully.
ALT
…and a peaceful political solution. Mr. Mahdawi gave speeches at several of these protests. In his
speeches, Mr. Mahdawi advocated for Palestinian human rights, a permanent ceasefire, and a
peaceful resolution that affirmed the human dignity of all.
25. During one protest, Mr. Mahdawi vocally denounced an unaffiliated passerby who
made an antisemitic comment, chanting “shame on him”. Mr. Mahdawi stated that “we are against
2:25-cv-00389 Document 1 Filed 04/14/25 Page 6 of 19
7
antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.” The confrontation was documented by the Columbia Spectator
ALT
April 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
https://bsky.app/profile/premthakker.bsky.social/post/3lmsk2srdl223
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
