Montpelier, Vermont – Student protest leader Mohsen Mahdawi, recently released from federal immigration detention, appeared at the Vermont State House on Thursday to announce the launch of a $1 million legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation.
The fund, formally named the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund, aims to provide legal representation and support to undocumented individuals and permanent residents caught in the U.S. immigration system. The initiative comes less than a week after Mahdawi’s release from custody following a controversial arrest that has drawn national attention.
“I was unjustly kidnapped—or detained, if you want to use the legal term,” Mahdawi said at a press conference, recalling the 16 days he spent behind bars. “Without the support of Vermonters and the representatives who stood with me, I wouldn’t be here today.”
A legal permanent resident originally from the Far’a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, Mahdawi is a prominent pro-Palestinian activist and student at Columbia University. He helped found student groups such as Dar: The Palestinian Student Society and Columbia University Apartheid Divest. He has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza since October 2023.
Mahdawi’s arrest on April 14 occurred when he arrived for a routine citizenship appointment in Colchester, Vermont, only to be taken into custody by federal agents. Though not charged with any crime, he was accused by the Trump administration of leading “pro-Hamas” protests and “harassing Jewish students” — claims for which no evidence has been publicly presented. A Department of Homeland Security memo alleged that Mahdawi’s public comments showed “terrorist sympathies.”
The administration is relying on a Cold War-era statute that allows for the deportation of foreign nationals considered detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests. Critics argue that its use against student protesters constitutes political repression.
Mahdawi’s case has galvanized bipartisan support in Vermont. Republican Governor Phil Scott condemned the secretive nature of the arrest, writing: “Law enforcement officers in this country should not operate in the shadows or hide behind masks.”
Democratic U.S. Senator Peter Welch visited Mahdawi during his detention and publicly questioned the legal grounds for his arrest. On April 30, a federal court ordered Mahdawi’s release on bail, determining that he posed no flight risk and warning that his detention could be seen as an attempt to suppress dissent.
At Thursday’s press conference, Mahdawi thanked the community and spoke of his vision for the legal fund.
“Home is where you feel safe and loved. Those who surround you—they are your people, and you are my people,” he said. “Our humanity is much larger than unjust laws.”
He recounted witnessing an undocumented farm worker pray nightly during detention. “I think his prayers have been answered today by this initiative,” Mahdawi said.
State Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale, one of the fund’s lead organizers, said the effort would create a permanent legal infrastructure to support immigrants.
“Vermont is going to take action to ensure no one faces deportation, detention, or family separation alone and unrepresented,” she said.
State Treasurer Mike Pieciak added that justice should not be contingent on wealth. “This effort is not about politics. This effort is about principle,” he said. “The right to due process means little without access to legal representation.”
The fund’s organizers hope to raise $1 million to hire and train legal staff, ensuring a robust safety net for immigrant families across the state.
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