A federal appeals court has overturned a lower court decision that had allowed Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi to leave ICE custody. The ruling keeps the pro-Palestinian protester detained as his immigration-related legal battle continues.
According to the report, the decision came from a panel on the Second Circuit. The description says the three-judge panel included one appointee of George W. Bush and two judges appointed during Donald Trump’s first term, a detail likely to draw added political attention as the case moves forward.
The dispute centers on Mahdawi’s detention and the earlier ruling that briefly cleared the way for his release. With the appeals court stepping in, that outcome has now been reversed, highlighting the high stakes for foreign students and activists caught up in immigration enforcement during politically charged campus demonstrations.
The case is likely to remain closely watched because it sits at the intersection of immigration policy, protest rights and the broader debate over responses to pro-Palestinian activism at elite universities. For now, the appeals court’s action means Mahdawi will remain in ICE custody while the legal process continues.
