Protesters gathered outside the Northwest State Correctional Facility in Swanton on Wednesday to rally for the release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained by ICE agents in Colchester. Mahdawi, a green card holder from the West Bank, was taken away in handcuffs during what was supposed to be his final step towards citizenship. He is currently held at the prison after a district judge issued an order to keep him in Vermont.
Dozens of people showed up to demand Mahdawi’s release, calling his arrest and those of other students like him illegal. Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney Stanak expressed solidarity with Mahdawi, stating that the situation is deeply disturbing and impacts the well-being of the community. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott demanded evidence of Mahdawi being a threat in order to justify his detention, urging his release if no such proof exists.
State senators are now urging the governor to terminate an agreement with immigration authorities to use state prisons at their discretion, citing a constitutional crisis and the need to not cooperate with what they consider to be a hostile, dangerous, and unconstitutional federal government. The push for Mahdawi’s release and the termination of the agreement highlights the tensions between state and federal authorities in Vermont regarding immigration policies and enforcement actions.
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