Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander joined Rep. Becca Balint and 66 colleagues in writing to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State Secretaries to demand answers on the abduction and arrest of Mohsen Mahdawi. On Monday, April 14th, masked, hooded men in plain clothes removed Mr. Mahdawi, who was then handcuffed and taken into an unmarked van from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Colchester, Vermont.
Members are demanding answers from Secretary Rubio if this arrest was made under his own personal determination that Mr. Mahdawi’s speech compromises a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest and on what grounds. If that is the case, Members demand to know if the secretary intends to provide certification to the relevant Congressional committees. Members and many constituents are deeply disturbed that DHS could be hijacking citizenship interviews to engage in immigration enforcement activity.
“Americans may disagree on immigration policy, but we have always agreed that the Constitution guarantees people within our borders the most basic of rights, including due process and free speech. This administration has ignored those fundamental rights in its horrific imprisonment of Mohsen K. Mahdawi,” members wrote to DHS and the State Department. “If Mr. Mahdawi can be tricked into coming to a government office and then arrested for simply making statements that the Trump Administration does not agree with, every American is at risk. We write to express our profound outrage with this Administration’s continued disappearance of lawful residents of the United States and to demand answers about Mr. Mahdawi’s case.”
“It is Mr. Mahdawi’s right as a legal resident of the United States to argue for what he believes in. This most fundamental of American rights is crucial to the fabric of our country, and one that America was built upon. In fact, President Trump stated at his joint address to Congress in March, ‘I’ve stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America.’ If the President was serious about protecting free speech in the United States, he would protect it for everyone, including those with whom he disagrees. Mr. Mahdawi’s arrest is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. With Mr. Mahdawi’s abduction, the Trump Administration continues to degrade America’s image on the global stage and descend the country further and further into authoritarianism. We profoundly oppose unlawful abductions and expect a prompt response to our questions,” continued the members.
View the text of the letter here.
