by Guy Page
Mohsen Mahdawi, the Palestinian activist and Windsor County resident subject to deportation, claimed he was ‘kidnapped” by the Trump administration on April 14, when ICE detained him for suspected immigration violations. Mahdawi was speaking at a press conference Thursday, May 8 at the Vermont State House.
Pardon the poor sound quality. Lawmakers standing with Mahdawi include Sen. Becca White (in white dress, left), and Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (immediate right), Sen. Joe Major, Rep. John Bartholomew, and Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky.
The Columbia University student leader of some anti-Israel, pro-Palestine student groups was detained April 14 in Colchester after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the green card holder’s continued presence in the U.S.A. presents a strategic risk to the United States and the Israeli-Palestine peace process.
In part one, Mahdawi praised Vermont as a place of light and freedom and support after he was ‘kidnapped” by the Trump administration, he told an enthusiastic crowd Thursday at the Vermont State House. He also spoke of prayers offered by a fellow ICE detainee, likely one of the farm workers detained from a Berkshire farm last month.
In part 2, he says his Roman Catholic cellmate Arnoldo’s prayers were answered by his release from prison and appearance at the press conference. He also claims Jesus would support illegal immigrants.