OCCUPIED WEST BANK — The United States Board of Immigration Appeals has reinstated deportation proceedings against Palestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi, according to court filings. The decision overturned a February 2026 ruling by immigration judge Nina Froes that had blocked the Trump administration's efforts to remove him from the country.

Froes had dismissed the case earlier this year, ruling that the Trump administration failed to meet the burden of proof and that its evidence was inadmissible. The Board of Immigration Appeals, which sits within the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review, reversed that decision.

Mahdawi was arrested last year during an interview with Immigration and Customs Enforcement following his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. He was detained for two weeks and was not charged with a crime.

"The government is trying to punish and deport me, a stateless Palestinian refugee from the occupied West Bank, because it opposes my peaceful advocacy for human dignity and equal rights for Palestinians. But I remain unafraid and faithful that justice will prevail in America and in Palestine," Mahdawi said.

The proceedings against Mahdawi are part of broader efforts by former President Donald Trump to deport foreign protesters participating in pro-Palestinian movements. A legal provision permits the Secretary of State to seek the deportation of individuals deemed to pose adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. The Board of Immigration Appeals' reinstatement of proceedings means Mahdawi's case will now continue before an immigration court.