Columbia activist detained during citizenship appointment

Driving the news: Hours after his arrest, Mahdawi's attorneys requested a temporary restraining order to prevent his transfer.

• U.S. District Judge William Sessions did so, blocking his out of Vermont as well as his deportation, per the court order.
• Representatives for the DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Catch up quick: Mahdawi was arrested and detained by Department of Homeland Security agents on Monday, despite being a lawful permanent resident, his attorneys said in the petition filed the same day.

• The lawyers demanded his immediate release and said his detention violates First Amendment, statutory and due process rights.
• "Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and an activist and organizer in student protests on Columbia's campus until March of 2024, after which he took a step back and has not been involved in organizing," the petition states.

Zoom out: Mahdawi's lawyers argued the Trump administration is seeking his removal based on the same provision with which it detained Columbia University alumnus Mahmoud Khalil.

• A judge ruled last week that Khalil can be deported despite his status as a legal U.S. resident.
• That decision marked a win for the Trump administration in its historic test of immigrants' speech rights.

Context: Mahdawi is a Palestinian who was born and raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank, his attorneys said, adding that he has been a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for 10 years.

• Mahdawi is expected to graduated from Columbia University in May and has also been admitted to a Master's program there, per the filing.

Go deeper: Mahmoud Khalil can be deported, judge rules