Immigration judge dismisses deportation case against Columbia activist Mahdawi

Immigration Judge Nina Froes dismissed removal proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian lawful permanent resident and Columbia University protest organizer, ruling the government failed to properly certify a Secretary of State Marco Rubio memo it sought to use as evidence of a foreign policy threat. The case was dismissed without prejudice on February 13, 2026, allowing refiling. DHS submitted an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals in late February. Mahdawi had been arrested in April 2025 at a citizenship processing meeting the government had staged.