Mohsen Mahdawi, a US permanent resident from Palestine, has called US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s attempts to justify his arrest over his activism “laughable”.
Mr Rubio has said that Mr Mahdawi was “removable” under the Immigration and Nationality Act and that his actions could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise compelling US foreign policy interest”.
“A person who has been vocally advocating for justice and peace is undermining US policy?” Mr Mahdawi asked rhetorically during an interview with CBS News, his first one on-camera since he was released last week as his case continues.
In mid-April, authorities in Vermont arrested Mr Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who helped organise campus protests in support of Palestine, after he arrived at an immigration office to complete the final step before becoming a US citizen.
In addition to his comments on Mr Rubio, he also did not hesitate to criticise President Donald Trump's administration for its aggressive pursuit of student demonstrators organising protests in support of Palestinians and Gaza.
“I am not afraid of you,” he said. “There’s a philosophy of intimidation, of punitive justice. I wanted to share with them that you can do whatever you want, but you will not silence me.”
Mr Mahdawi said his release after 16 days of detention offers a ray of hope in a US justice system that he describes as under assault from the Trump White House.
His interview came days after judge in Vermont ordered his release.
“The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime,” US District Judge Geoffrey Crawford said at the hearing.
The judge added that he should remain in his home state of Vermont and attend Columbia, which is in New York, remotely, but added that he can travel to meet his legal team and go to the university when necessary.
Mr Mahdawi is a legal US resident and has lived in the US since 2014.
Making the arrest all the more curious was the fact he had walked into a federal office in Vermont for an immigration interview before being detained by plainclothes agents.
“Masked agents, loaded with guns, separated me and isolated me from my lawyer. They did not allow for any conversation or let me see the order, or what was happening. I said that I am a peaceful man,” he said.
The State Department did not directly answer requests from The National to address comments from Mr Mahdawhi, explaining that as a general matter, "we do not comment on pending or ongoing litigation."
Outside the courthouse following his release, Mr Mahdawhi led supporters in chanting “The people, united, will never be defeated” and “Free Palestine”. He said people must come together in the defence of both democracy and humanity.
As a student, Mr Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and organised campus protests until March 2024. He cofounded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the US who was detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Mr Mahdawi could still be deported depending on how things unfold in court, with US authorities appealing the Vermont judge’s decision.
He plans on starting his master’s degree at Columbia beginning in the autumn.
Mr Mahdawi’s detention and potential removal from the US is among many similar incidents that have taken place since US Mr Trump took office in January.
In March, Mr Rubio said that the US had revoked at least 300 visas, many to foreign students, as it cracks down on people who participated in protests against the war in Gaza.
The US State Department will reportedly soon be using artificial intelligence to potentially revoke the visas of international students accused of supporting Hamas – an idea that many legal experts say could be problematic from a due process standpoint. Tech experts have also pointed out that AI is far from perfect, and often misses nuances involved in politics, demonstrations and protests.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
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• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
