Mohsen Mahdawi Fought ICE and Won His Freedom. For Now.
Summary
Palestinian student activist Mohsen Mahdawi recounts being detained by ICE during his US citizenship interview and accused by the Trump administration of jeopardizing foreign policy due to his campus activism. He shares the premonition he had, his experiences with Columbia University, and how he prepared for potential arrest. Mohsen addresses accusations of anti-Semitism against pro-Palestinian protests and reflects on his traumatic childhood in a West Bank refugee camp and his family's history of unjust imprisonment, connecting it to his own detention experience.Episode description
In April, Palestinian student activist Mohsen Mahdawi walked into an immigration office to obtain US citizenship. He left in handcuffs. The Columbia University student was detained by ICE and accused by the Trump administration of jeopardizing US foreign policy through his involvement in protests following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. On this week’s More to The Story, Mohsen talks to host Al Letson about his arrest by ICE, his role in campus protests, and his childhood growing up in a West Bank refugee camp.
Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Digital producer: Nikki Frick | Interim executive producers: Brett Myers and Taki Telonidis | Executive editor: James West | Host: Al Letson
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Read: Mohsen Mahdawi Has Been Released From Federal Custody (Mother Jones)
Listen: Gaza: A War of Weapons and Words (Reveal)
Read: Mahmoud Khalil, Finally Free, Speaks Out (Mother Jones)