The radical anti-Israel protests taking over college campuses across America have found a new face—and it’s not a peaceful one. Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who has been painted by left-wing media as a calm, pro-Palestinian voice, was arrested last month by U.S. immigration officials. But here’s what the mainstream media isn’t telling you: Mahdawi has allegedly expressed a disturbing desire to “kill Jews” and has openly supported Hamas terrorism.
Despite all that, an Obama-appointed judge ordered his release from a deportation facility this week, sparking outrage and raising serious concerns about who is being allowed to stay in this country.
Mahdawi, a 34-year-old green card holder born in Jordan, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on April 14 when he showed up for a citizenship test at a Vermont immigration office, according to Breitbart News.
His attorney, Luna Droubi, immediately ran to sympathetic outlets like The Intercept to paint him as a victim, claiming he was “unlawfully detained today for no reason other than his Palestinian identity.” But that’s far from the whole story.
The Washington Free Beacon revealed that Mahdawi has a long history of extremism. He has publicly sympathized with Hamas over their brutal October 7 terror attacks that left over 1,200 Israelis dead—mostly civilians—and he has called for the total destruction of the State of Israel. Last year, he even honored a commander from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, a U.S.-designated terrorist group that participated in the Oct. 7 slaughter.
So much for being a peaceful protester.
Mahdawi isn’t just some student with extreme opinions. He’s been a central figure in leading the anti-Israel movement at Columbia University, serving as co-president of the Palestinian Students Union. This is the same coalition that includes the now-suspended chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace—groups known for pushing radical, anti-Semitic agendas.
This coalition has organized aggressive protests demanding Columbia cut ties with Israel. It has also been linked to the illegal encampments on campus that led to chaos and violence, including the storming and occupation of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall.
Despite these alarming facts, the New York Times ran a puff piece on Mahdawi titled “He Wanted Peace in the Middle East. ICE Wants to Deport Him.” That headline alone shows how far the liberal media will go to twist reality in favor of the far-left narrative.
But what’s truly shocking—and almost completely ignored by the mainstream press—are the allegations buried in court documents about Mahdawi’s past behavior in Vermont.
According to court records reviewed by Breitbart and cited in Judge Geoffrey Crawford’s opinion (Crawford was appointed by President Obama in 2014), Mahdawi allegedly made several deeply disturbing statements while shopping for guns in 2015.
A local gun store owner in Windsor, Vermont told police that Mahdawi came into his store twice, asking questions about sniper rifles and automatic weapons. The owner reported that Mahdawi told him he had experience building modified submachine guns “to kill Jews” while in Palestine.
Another witness—a volunteer at the Precision Museum in Windsor—said Mahdawi made a similar comment during a tour, allegedly stating outright: “I like to kill Jews.”
Let that sink in. This is the same person now being portrayed as a peaceful advocate by The New York Times and others.
Even with this deeply troubling background, Judge Crawford ordered Mahdawi’s release from ICE custody on Wednesday. His decision shows just how much influence political ideology can have on the justice system—especially when Obama-era appointees are still on the bench.
The ruling completely ignored the violent rhetoric and the history of glorifying terrorists. And of course, outlets like the New York Times failed to mention any of Mahdawi’s anti-Semitic remarks in their glowing coverage.
Why? Because it doesn’t fit the narrative they want to sell.
The case of Mohsen Mahdawi is a perfect example of what’s gone wrong in today’s America. Our borders are wide open. Our institutions are bending over backward to accommodate radicals. And the liberal media is running interference for dangerous extremists.
This isn’t just about protests on college campuses. This is about real national security concerns. It’s about who we’re allowing into our country—and who we’re protecting under the banner of so-called “free speech.”
When someone who allegedly talks about building guns to kill Jews is released back into the public—while being hailed as a hero by the left—we should all be deeply alarmed.
