Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi thought he was going to become an American. Instead, ICE whisked him away into detention.
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Onthecampaigntrail,PresidentDonaldTrumpsaidthathewasgoingtotakeawayvisasfrom“antisemiticforeigners”oncollegecampuses.Buthisfirsttarget,MahmoudKhalil,isnotavisaholder;heisalegalpermanentresidentandthehusbandofanAmericancitizen,asImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)agentsdiscoveredastheyweredetainingKhalil.
Now,theTrumpadministrationistryingtodeportaPalestinian-Americanimmigrantonthecuspofcitizenship.Ten-yearlegalU.S.residentandColumbiaUniversitystudentMohsenMahdawishowedupatanimmigrationcenterinVermontonMondayforwhathethoughtwashisnaturalizationappointment.Instead,ICEagentsswoopedinand“refusedtoprovideanyinformationastowherehewasbeingtakenorwhatwouldhappentohim,”accordingtoastatementbyVermontlawmakers.
TheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,whichoverseesbothICEandU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices,referredReasontotheStateDepartment,whichdidnotimmediatelyresp
