Anti-Israel Columbia protester detained by ICE is freed after federal judge's order

A federal judge ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi on Wednesday, a Columbia University protest organizer who was arrested by ICE earlier this month.

Mohsen Mahdawi, center, was released from ICE custody on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

"These individuals refused to provide any information as to where he was being taken or what would happen to him," the statement alleged.

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"This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal," it continued. "Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention."

As a student at Columbia, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont had called for the release of Mahdawi, an anti-Israel student leader at Columbia University, after his arrest. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images AP Images)

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According to a court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master’s degree program there in the fall.

Fox News' Peter Pinedo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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