Court Overturns Ruling on Pro-Palestinian Advocate's Detention

A U.S. appeals court reversed a previous decision to release pro-Palestinian advocate Mohsen Mahdawi from detention. Initially detained for participating in protests, Mahdawi was released under notions of free speech. The Court of Appeals stated the case should be handled in immigration court.

An appeals court in the United States has overturned a 2025 decision that mandated the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a pro-Palestinian advocate, from immigration detention. The initial ruling had been made by Judge Geoffrey Crawford, who claimed Mahdawi had First Amendment rights equivalent to U.S. citizens.

Mahdawi was among several non-citizen students targeted in deportation proceedings following their participation in protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza. This sparked legal battles addressing the collision between President Donald Trump's immigration policies and constitutional free speech rights.

In reversing the earlier ruling, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the case fell outside Judge Crawford's jurisdiction, stating it should be initially settled in immigration court.