Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia graduate student living in Vermont on a green card, is appealing a ruling calling for his deportation. The case traces back to his detention by ICE in April 2025, and the Board of Immigration Appeals ruling could allow him to be removed from the United States.
Board of Immigration Appeals ruling
The ACLU says Mahdawi is challenging the ruling from the Board of Immigration Appeals. Advocates say he is protected from deportation while his appeals continue, putting the immediate fight on whether he can remain in the United States as the case moves forward.
April 2025 detention
Mahdawi has been at the center of an immigration battle since ICE detained him in April 2025. The Trump administration has tried to deport him, citing his role in on-campus pro-Palestinian protests. That protest history is now part of the deportation effort, while the appeal tests the ruling that would let federal authorities remove him.
What comes next for Mahdawi
The appeal gives Mahdawi a legal path to fight the deportation order while the immigration case continues. For now, the central issue is whether the Board of Immigration Appeals ruling will stand or be overturned, because that decision will determine whether the government can move ahead with removal.
