Judge Terminates Deportation Case Against Columbia Activist
Judge Nina Froes ended removal proceedings on Feb. 13 after DHS failed to authenticate a memo attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Overview
An immigration judge, Nina Froes, terminated removal proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi on Feb. 13 after finding the government failed to authenticate evidence and could not meet its burden of proving removability.
The decision stemmed from a procedural lapse in which government lawyers submitted an uncertified photocopy of a memorandum purportedly signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the judge wrote.
Mahdawi, who said the ruling upholds due process and protected speech, called the outcome a defense of "the right to speak for peace and justice," his lawyers said.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin described Mahdawi as a leader of "pro-terrorist riots" whose visa should be revoked, and the Trump administration may appeal or refile the case, court filings indicate.
The ruling is the latest setback to the administration's effort to expel pro-Palestinian campus activists, coming as the appeals court reviews Mahdawi's release and a separate judge recently blocked deportation of Tufts student Rümeysa Öztürk.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally: they focus on procedural facts, cite the immigration judge’s ruling, and include competing source content—Mahdawi’s statement and DHS’s characterization. Aside from attributing the government’s “sweeping effort” phrase, reporting emphasizes legal process and balance rather than editorializing.
Sources (5)
FAQ
Mahdawi was detained on April 14, 2025, during a citizenship interview in Colchester, Vermont, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.[1] The Trump administration initiated deportation proceedings based on his activism supporting Palestinian rights and opposition to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, claiming his presence would "potentially undermine" Middle East peace talks.[1] The government's case relied on a memorandum from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that declared Mahdawi a threat to U.S. foreign policy based solely on his protected speech.[2]
Immigration Judge Nina Froes terminated the case on February 13, 2026, on technical grounds, ruling that the government failed to properly authenticate the memorandum from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that served as the basis for the deportation proceedings.[1] The government submitted an uncertified photocopy of the memo without including referenced attachments, which violated judicial rules requiring proper authentication.[2]
Yes, the government retains options to pursue the case further. The immigration judge's ruling was issued without prejudice, meaning the Trump administration could appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals or attempt to refile a new case based on the same charges with proper documentation.[1] The Trump administration has also indicated it could appeal Judge Nina Froes' ruling.[2]
Mahdawi was held in federal custody for more than two weeks after his April 14, 2025, arrest before being released on bail on April 30, 2025.[1] Federal Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered his release after Mahdawi's legal team filed a habeas corpus petition arguing he was wrongfully detained in retaliation for his constitutionally protected speech.[2] Judge Crawford stated that "the two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime."[3]
Mahdawi's case is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration attempting to deport pro-Palestinian campus activists. His case follows an immigration court's decision in late January 2026 to block the Trump administration from deporting Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish student at Tufts University who was similarly detained in Vermont.[1] Both cases represent setbacks to the administration's effort to expel pro-Palestinian activists from the country.
History
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