The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed an immigration judge’s order blocking the deportation of Mohsen Mahdawi, a permanent United States resident from the illegally-occupied West Bank who led protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza at Columbia University.
Washington, D.C.-based CAIR had previously condemned Mahdawi’s abduction by ICE agents. His attorneys say the Trump administration is trying to deport Mahdawi because of his anti-genocide activism.
Mr. Mahdawi is represented in both immigration and federal court by Cyrus Mehta and David Isaacson of Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners PLLC and in federal court by Luna Droubi and Matthew Melewski of Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP; Andrew Delaney of Martin Delaney & Ricci Law Group; CLEAR; the American Civil Liberties Union; and the ACLU of Vermont.
In a statement, CAIR said:
“We welcome the immigration judge’s decision to block the unjust deportation of Mohsen Mahdawi. Lawful permanent residents do not forfeit their constitutional rights when they speak out against genocide or advocate for Palestinian human rights.
“Attempts to weaponize immigration enforcement against peaceful student activists represent a dangerous assault on free speech and equal protection under the law. The targeting of Mr. Mahdawi for his advocacy opposing the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity in Gaza is discriminatory and unconstitutional.”
The civil rights organization reiterated its call for federal authorities to cease any politically-motivated efforts to intimidate or punish activists based on their viewpoints and urged the administration to respect due process and constitutional protections for all residents of the United States.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com