Updated at 7:49 p.m.
Masked men in plainclothes detained an Upper Valley resident in Colchester during a scheduled citizenship interview Monday morning, despite his status as a lawful U.S. permanent resident.
Mohsen Mahdawi’s lawyers filed a petition Monday alleging unlawful detention in the U.S. District Court in Vermont. Judge William Sessions III then issued a temporary restraining order saying Mahdawi cannot be removed from Vermont or the U.S. pending further orders from the court.
Mahdawi, 34, is believed to be detained at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans as of Monday evening.
“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian,” said Luna Droubi, one of his attorneys, via email. “His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional.”
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