United News of Bangladesh

A Palestinian man who led anti-war demonstrations concerning Gaza while studying at Columbia University was taken into custody on Monday at a Vermont immigration office, where he had anticipated attending an interview to finalise his US citizenship, according to his legal representatives. Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident since 2015, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, his attorneys reported. 3 RMG factories attacked in Gazipur during pro-Palestine protest His lawyers stated they are unaware of his current location. They have filed a federal court petition requesting an order to prevent the government from relocating him from either the state or the country. “The Trump administration’s detention of Mohsen Mahdawi is a direct retaliation for his Palestinian identity and his activism for Palestinian rights. This is an attempt to suppress voices protesting the atrocities in Gaza and violates constitutional rights,” said attorney Luna Droubi in an email statement. According to the court documents, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the U.S. in 2014. He recently completed academic work at Columbia and was scheduled to graduate in May before starting a master’s programme there in the autumn. The petition describes Mahdawi as a devoted Buddhist who considers "non-violence and empathy central principles of his faith." While at university, Mahdawi vocally opposed Israel’s military actions in Gaza and played a key role in organising campus protests until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia alongside Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian and permanent U.S. resident, who is also a graduate student and was recently detained by ICE. Palestine lives in each of our hearts: Azhari Khalil became the first individual to be arrested as part of former President Donald Trump’s declared campaign to target students participating in anti-Gaza war campus protests. Last Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil could be deported on national security grounds. Christopher Helali, a Vermont resident and friend of Mahdawi, was outside the immigration office during the arrest and filmed Mahdawi being escorted away. The video, which Helali shared on social media on Monday, shows Mahdawi flashing a peace sign as authorities lead him to a vehicle. Helali characterised Mahdawi as a peaceful protester who promoted dialogue on the plight of Palestinians. He noted that both he and Mahdawi had anticipated the possibility of detention, but Mahdawi chose to proceed with the interview. “He was understandably anxious given the situation, but he remained determined to attend the appointment because he believed he had done nothing wrong and had abided by the law as a current—or soon-to-be—citizen,” Helali said. Vermont’s congressional representatives released a joint statement condemning Mahdawi’s arrest. They noted that instead of completing one of the final steps toward U.S. citizenship, he was handcuffed by masked, armed officers. “This action is immoral, inhumane, and unlawful. Mr. Mahdawi, a lawful U.S. resident, must be granted his legal rights and released from custody without delay,” said Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint in the statement.

Federal immigration officials apprehended a Palestinian activist on Saturday who was a key figure in the Columbia University demonstrations against Israel, marking a significant intensification of the Trump administration’s commitment to detain and deport student protesters, reports AP. Mahmoud Khalil, a former graduate student at Columbia until last December, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his university-owned apartment. His attorney, Amy Greer, informed The Associated Press that ICE agents claimed to be acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalil’s student visa. When Greer clarified that Khalil was a permanent U.S. resident with a green card, the agents asserted that his residency status was being revoked instead. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed Khalil’s arrest, stating it was in line with President Trump’s executive orders against anti-Semitism. This marks the first known deportation action under Trump’s crackdown on students involved in last spring’s campus protests against the Gaza war, with the administration alleging that such activists forfeited their right to remain in the U.S. by supporting Hamas. McLaughlin suggested Khalil’s arrest was directly tied to his role in the protests, alleging that he led activities connected to Hamas, a designated terrorist group. Israel cuts off electricity supply to Gaza, affecting a plant producing drinking water During the arrest, ICE officers also allegedly threatened to detain Khalil’s wife, a U.S. citizen who is eight months pregnant, according to Greer. Initially, authorities informed Khalil’s legal team that he was being held at a detention centre in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but when his wife attempted to visit, she was told he was not there. As of Sunday night, Greer said his whereabouts remained unknown. Columbia University did not confirm whether law enforcement had presented a warrant before entering its property. A university spokesperson stated that officials must show a warrant before accessing campus premises but declined to comment further on Khalil’s detention. On social media, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the administration was revoking visas and green cards of Hamas supporters to facilitate their deportation. Under U.S. law, green card holders can face deportation for various alleged offences, including support for a terrorist organisation. However, immigration experts described Khalil’s detention—despite no formal criminal charges—as an unusual and legally uncertain move. “This appears to be retaliation against someone for expressing views that the Trump administration opposes,” said Camille Mackler, founder of the immigrant advocacy group Immigrant ARC. Khalil, who completed his master's in international affairs at Columbia, played a key role as a student negotiator during discussions with university officials about dismantling a protest encampment last spring. His visibility in the movement led to increasing pressure from pro-Israel activists urging his deportation. Additionally, Khalil was under investigation by a newly established Columbia University office that has brought disciplinary charges against several students over their pro-Palestinian activism. The Trump administration recently moved to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to Columbia, citing the university’s failure to curb alleged antisemitism on campus. Khalil faced disciplinary actions for his involvement with the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group. The university’s allegations included his alleged participation in an unauthorised march that praised Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack and his role in spreading anti-Zionist social media content. More than 1,000 people dead in clashes between Syrian govt forces and Asad loyalists “I have about 13 charges against me, mostly for social media posts I had nothing to do with,” Khalil told the AP last week. “They just want to appease Congress and right-wing politicians, regardless of how this affects students. It’s an attempt to suppress pro-Palestinian speech.”