Mohsen Mahdawi, one of the leaders of the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University was ordered released on bail by a Vermont judge today.
In ruling to release Mr. Mahdawi on bail, Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford of Federal District Court in Vermont found on Wednesday that he did not pose a danger to the public and that he was not a flight risk. The judge drew parallels between the current political climate and McCarthyism, saying it was “not our proudest moment.”…
Mr. Mahdawi, 34, had been in custody since April 14, when immigration officials detained him at an appointment in Vermont that he thought was a step toward becoming a U.S. citizen. Judge Crawford ordered that Mr. Mahdawi be released from the detention facility where he had been held in the state.
In granting the release of Mr. Mahdawi, a Vermont resident, Judge Crawford cited his extensive ties to his community….
