US judge overturns deportation order for Columbia student

A US federal judge has overturned a deportation order issued against a Palestinian student at Columbia University who took part in protests against the Israeli war in Gaza, according to US media reports.

Muhsin Mahdawi, 34, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank and has held a US permanent resident card, or “green card”, since 2015. He was detained by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on 14 April while attending a citizenship interview.

Although he was released at the end of April following a court order, the deportation proceedings remained in place.

Judge Nina Frois has now closed the case, citing a procedural error by government lawyers. Details of the ruling were disclosed on Tuesday by Mahdawi’s legal team.

READ: US judge rules pro-Palestinian activist can be deported under foreign policy grounds

The Trump administration retains the right to appeal the decision. CBS News described the ruling as a setback for the federal government’s broader efforts to deport pro-Palestinian activists on university campuses and others who have criticised Israel.

Mahdawi co-founded a Palestinian student group at Columbia alongside Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian student movement in the United States.

In a statement released by his lawyers, Mahdawi welcomed the ruling and praised the court’s commitment to due process and the rule of law. He described the decision as “an important step toward defending what fear has sought to destroy: the right to free speech for peace and justice.”

READ: UN agency says Gaza rubble removal could take 7 years as 90% live in dangerous conditions