Palestinian student detained at US citizenship interview released on bail

A judge on Wednesday released a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University and was arrested by immigration officials during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship.

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Outside the courthouse in Vermont, Mohsen Mahdawi led supporters in chants including “No fear” and “Free Palestine.” He said people must come together to defend both democracy and humanity.

“Never give up on the idea that justice will prevail,” he said. “We want to stand up for humanity, because the rest of the world — not only Palestine — is watching us. And what is going to happen in America is going to affect the rest of the world.”

The U.S. government has argued Mahdawi — a legal permanent resident for 10 years — was removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act. That's because Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined his presence and activities “would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest,” according to his notice to appear in immigration court.