A wave of public support surged outside a Vermont courthouse on Wednesday as community members rallied behind Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student and activist who was arrested earlier this month during a U.S. citizenship interview.

A federal judge extended a restraining order on Wednesday, blocking Mahdawi’s deportation or relocation out of Vermont for at least 90 days. His lawyers say the move offers a temporary reprieve as they work to secure his release.

The arrest has stirred widespread concern over what civil rights advocates are calling a politically motivated crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism.

Mahdawi, who has held legal permanent residency in the United States for a decade, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on April 14. The arrest occurred immediately after he had reportedly completed an interview affirming his allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.

According to his legal team, the student was shackled by masked ICE agents and removed from the premises without explanation.

“What the government has presented so far shows no lawful basis for his detention—only that he exercised his right to free speech,” said attorney Luna Droubi. “This is a disgrace to the U.S. Constitution.”

Mahdawi, a recent graduate of Columbia University, had been a prominent organizer of campus demonstrations protesting Israel’s military actions in Gaza. His arrest is the latest in a growing pattern of federal actions targeting student activists amid intensifying scrutiny of campus protests.

“This is unprecedented,” said immigration lawyer Cyrus Mehta. “He has not been charged with any crime, nor has he been cited under standard deportation provisions. The government’s justification hinges solely on speech.”

Mahdawi, who was born in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, moved to the U.S. in 2014 and was set to begin a master’s program at Columbia this fall. His immigration court hearing is scheduled for May 1 in Louisiana, although its status remains uncertain.

Civil liberties advocates have denounced the case as emblematic of broader efforts to silence Palestinian voices and equate criticism of Israeli policies with hostility toward the U.S.

“This administration is exploiting immigration law to criminalize political expression,” said one protester outside the courthouse. “It’s about fear and censorship—not national security.”

Since the escalation of Israeli military operations in Gaza in October 2023, which have resulted in the deaths of over 51,000 Palestinians, student-led protests across U.S. campuses have intensified. In response, federal authorities have reportedly moved to expel several international students accused of harboring “hostile attitudes” toward U.S. foreign policy, with Mahdawi now among those facing deportation.

Supporters continue to call for Mahdawi’s immediate release, warning that his detention sets a dangerous precedent for immigrant rights and freedom of speech in America. Another hearing in his federal case is expected next week.