Mohsen Mahdawi’s Legal Battle Escalates | New York City News

New York City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 21, 2026 · 1m

A federal appeals court has blocked the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia grad student and longtime green card holder from the West Bank, reversing a lower court’s decision and sending his deportation case back to immigration courts — a move critics say could weaponize federal courts against dissent. Arrested during a citizenship interview, Mahdawi claims he was targeted by the Trump administration for his pro-Palestinian activism. His lawyers argue the ruling undermines the First Amendment and creates unequal rights for citizens versus non-citizens, while the government insists…