• The U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals has reinstated deportation proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi.
• Mahdawi, a green-card holder, was detained following campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza.
• An immigration judge previously blocked the deportation, citing insufficient evidence from the government.
• Critics argue the government is weaponizing immigration laws to silence pro-Palestinian advocacy.
• The case has raised concerns about free speech and academic freedom in the U.S.

The U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals has reinstated deportation proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, according to a court filing by his legal team. This development follows the decision made earlier by Immigration Judge Nina Froes, who blocked the Trump administration's deportation efforts in February, ruling that the evidence presented was inadmissible due to lack of authentication. However, Froes was subsequently dismissed from her position, paving the way for the appeals board's reversal of her ruling, as reported by Reuters, Middle East Eye, and Al Jazeera.

Mahdawi was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a citizenship interview in April last year after participating in protests against Israeli military operations in Gaza. He was held for two weeks without criminal charges before being released, but the threat of deportation remained. The Trump administration previously labeled his activism as a potential threat to U.S. foreign policy, which Mahdawi and his supporters adamantly contest as an attempt to suppress dissent, according to Reuters and Middle East Eye.

In a poignant statement, Mahdawi expressed that the government’s actions are aimed at punishing him for his “peaceful advocacy for human dignity and equal rights for Palestinians." He has accused officials of utilizing the immigration system as a weapon against voices of dissent within the U.S., which has raised significant concerns among rights activists regarding the implications for free speech and academic freedom in American institutions. These legal and social tensions reflect broader dynamics surrounding the U.S. government’s approach to immigration and dissenting activism, as highlighted by Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye.