Story perspectives

2nd Circuit Upholds Deportation, DOJ Proposes Campus Immigration Crackdown

7/22/2026

Summary

2nd Circuit Reverses

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the order releasing Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, ruling it lacked jurisdiction.
Justice Department alleges Mahdawi said he built guns to kill Jews and possessed LSD, meth and mushrooms, which he denies.
Mahdawi, a holder, has a removal order to Jordan and is appealing to the 1st Circuit.
The Department of Homeland Security called the decision a win for safety and rule of law.

Summary

Rubio Targets Protesters

The Justice Department argues that Secretary of State Marco Rubio can use immigration law to deport non-citizens whose presence creates adverse foreign-policy consequences.
The administration’s crackdown also proposes freezing federal funding for universities where pro-Palestinian protests occur and monitoring online speech tied to campus activism.
ACLU attorney Michael Tan warned that the government is seeking unprecedented power to detain people for months or years to censor speech, without court challenge.

History

Historical Context

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 and effective April 1 1997, created expedited removal and gave the INS broad deportation powers. Removals jumped from roughly 50,000 to over 200,000 by the early 2000s, a rise of more than 30 %. Today the Justice Department’s effort to deport student Mohsen Mahdawi echoes that expanded authority.

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2nd Circuit Reverses

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the order releasing Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, ruling it lacked jurisdiction.
Justice Department alleges Mahdawi said he built guns to kill Jews and possessed LSD, meth and mushrooms, which he denies.
Mahdawi, a holder, has a removal order to Jordan and is appealing to the 1st Circuit.
The Department of Homeland Security called the decision a win for safety and rule of law.

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