Columbia activist Mohsen Mahdawi speaks out in first community interview since detention:
A Columbia scholar activist and inexperienced card holder who was detained when he went for a citizenship interview final month mentioned President Trump “won’t silence me,” in an interview with CBS Information from Vermont on Monday.
Mohsen Mahdawi’s feedback marked his first community interview since a choose ordered his launch final week — a transfer Mahdawi referred to as a “mild of hope” to different scholar activists who’ve been detained, like Columbia’s Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts College’s Rumeysa Ozturk
Shortly after Mahdawi’s launch, he addressed a bunch of supporters, saying of Mr. Trump and his Cupboard, “I’m not afraid of you.” Mahdawi instructed CBS Information he addressed Mr. Trump straight as a result of “there’s this philosophy of intimidation, of punitive justice … so I needed to share to them that you are able to do no matter you need. You’ll not silence me.”
“I’m a peacemaker. And after they arrested me, that could be a purple flag to all people,” Mahdawi additionally mentioned.
Mahdawi was in custody for about two weeks. He instructed CBS Information he arrived for his citizenship appointment in Vermont in mid-April, took a citizenship check and signed a doc that mentioned he’s keen to pledge allegiance to the Structure. Towards the top of that course of, he mentioned immigration brokers entered the workplace and detained him. Mahdawi mentioned he doesn’t know why they waited, as an alternative of taking him into custody as quickly as he arrived.
“What I do know is it is a betrayal to the Structure of this nation and to the method,” Mahdawi mentioned. “I’ve achieved the whole lot the best approach. I’ve gone via the method. … I’ve utilized the best approach. I confirmed up for my interview. I shared and answered the entire questions actually. And I mentioned I’m keen to defend and shield the Structure of this nation.”
Mahdawi, who helped lead Columbia’s protests towards the Israel-Hamas battle beginning in 2023, was detained beneath a hardly ever used legislation permitting the federal government to revoke visas for individuals the Secretary of State believes might pose “antagonistic international coverage penalties.”
Mahdawi mentioned he discovered the Trump administration’s rationale for detaining him “laughable.”
“An individual who has been vocally advocating for justice and peace is undermining U.S. coverage?,” he mentioned to CBS Information on Monday.
Mahdawi is considered one of a number of scholar activists to face detention. Fellow Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts scholar Rumeysa Ozturk, who co-wrote a pro-Palestinian op-ed within the campus newspaper, had been detained in March beneath the identical authorized grounds alleging the danger of “antagonistic international coverage penalties.” Each college students are individually suing for his or her launch.
A letter calling for Mahdawi’s deportation and signed by Rubio reads, “Mahdawi has been recognized at these protests as having engaged in threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders. However in a video from November 2023 obtained by CBS Information, Mahdawi is seen main a crowd chanting “disgrace on you” to denounce a protester who made an antisemitic remark. He additionally instructed CBS Information in an interview final month, “We made it very clear that our motion is about justice, and antisemitism has no place in our motion.”
The Trump administration has defended the apply of taking away visas. In an announcement final month, Homeland Safety Assistant Secretary Tricial McLaughlin mentioned inexperienced playing cards and visas are a “privilege.”
“If you advocate for violence, glorify and help terrorists that relish the killing of People, and harass Jews, that privilege needs to be revoked, and also you shouldn’t be on this nation,” McLaughlin added.
Mahdawi has denied allegations of antisemitism and has mentioned he took a step again from the protests earlier than demonstrators fashioned encampments on Columbia’s campus and occupied a faculty constructing, drawing nationwide consideration and criticism.
He sued in federal courtroom for his launch hours after his detention, along with his legal professionals arguing the transfer violated his First Modification rights. U.S. District Decide Geoffrey Crawford ordered his launch from federal custody final Wednesday, writing that Mahdawi had “made substantial claims that his detention is the results of retaliation for protected speech.”
The case continues to be open as Crawford evaluations Mahdawi’s petition for habeas corpus.
An appeals courtroom will assessment Mahdawi and Ozturk’s circumstances Tuesday.
Mahdawi mentioned after he left custody, he “was reassured in my coronary heart of the idea that justice will prevail … and the justice system is functioning.”
He additionally says he plans on persevering with to protest. “I wasn’t afraid after they detained me. I used to be not afraid once I received out of detention. And I am not afraid to share my voice,” he mentioned.
