More than 170 Buddhist teachers, practitioners, and human rights advocates have added their names over the past week to a letter calling for the immediate release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, after he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on 14 April.* Mahdawi, a decade-long resident of the United States and former president of the Columbia University Buddhist Association (CUBA), was taken into custody during what was expected to be his final naturalization interview with US Citizenship and Immigration Services in Vermont.

The letter, signed by prominent members of the American Buddhist community and shared with BDG, frames Mahdawi’s detention as a violation of legal due process and fundamental human dignity. The signatories assert that Mahdawi, who has no criminal record, was targeted for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of Palestinian human rights, raising alarm over what they describe as a pattern of political repression against activists engaging in protected speech.

The Buddhist community pointed to Mahdawi’s documented history of nonviolent activism and interfaith solidarity—including efforts to combat antisemitism on campus—as emblematic of his commitment to the principles of peace and compassion. The letter also highlights bipartisan condemnation from Vermont’s congressional delegation—senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint—who described the detention as “immoral, inhumane and illegal.” (Bernie Sanders)

Mahdawi’s case, the letter argues, reflects a broader erosion of civil liberties, citing additional instances of activist detentions within the US and internationally. Asserting that the suppression of peaceful dissent threatens the core values of democracy, the letter calls for the release of Mahdawi and others similarly detained, full transparency regarding their legal status, and an end to discriminatory enforcement practices.

The full letter, which is still being circulated, reads as follows:

We, the undersigned one hundred and thirty five Buddhist teachers, practitioners, and supporters of human rights, write with profound alarm regarding the unjust detention of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student, permanent U.S. resident for ten years, and former president of the Columbia University Buddhist Association.

On April 14, 2025, Mohsen Mahdawi arrived at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Vermont for what should have been a culminating moment in his decade-long journey toward American citizenship. Instead, he was handcuffed and taken away by ICE agents who refused to disclose his destination or legal status—a traumatic violation of dignity that no human being should endure.

The circumstances of Mohsen’s detention reveal a disturbing pattern of human rights abuses:

1. **Violation of Due Process**: As a legal permanent resident since 2015 with no criminal charges, Mohsen’s detention at his own citizenship interview represents an extraordinary breach of legal norms and basic human dignity.

2. **Targeted Political Repression**: This detention appears to be direct retaliation for Mohsen’s constitutionally protected speech advocating for Palestinian human rights—a dangerous precedent that threatens the foundational freedoms upon which our society depends.

3. **Silencing a Voice for Peace**: Mohsen has demonstrated consistent commitment to Buddhist principles of nonviolence and compassion. He actively built bridges between communities and directly confronted antisemitism, once leading students to remove a heckler who shouted antisemitic threats at a rally while thanking “Jewish brothers and sisters who stand with us.”

4. **Bipartisan Condemnation**: Vermont’s congressional delegation—Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint—have unequivocally denounced this action as “immoral, inhumane and illegal,” demanding Mohsen’s immediate release.

Mohsen’s case is not isolated but part of an escalating pattern of detentions targeting those who exercise their right to free expression. This includes Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Öztürk, similarly detained after speaking out, and Kilmer Abrego Garcia, who remains imprisoned in El Salvador despite Supreme Court orders mandating his return to the United States.

These actions reveal a systematic assault on human rights that should concern every person of conscience, regardless of political affiliation or religious belief. When a government targets individuals based on their identity and peaceful advocacy, the foundation of democratic society itself is threatened.

As Buddhists, we recognize the interconnectedness of all beings. When one person’s rights are violated, all of humanity is diminished. The freedom to speak truth without fear of persecution is not merely a legal principle—it is essential to human dignity and collective liberation.

We therefore make these urgent demands:

1. The immediate release of Mohsen Mahdawi and all others similarly detained for protected speech

2. Full transparency regarding the legal justification for these detentions

3. Concrete assurances that due process rights will be respected in all immigration proceedings

4. An immediate end to the targeting of activists based on their identity or protected expression

We stand in unwavering solidarity with those whose voices have been silenced and whose freedom has been unjustly taken. Their suffering is our suffering. Their freedom is our freedom. Their humanity is our shared humanity.

We call upon all who value compassion, justice, and human dignity to join us in speaking out. The time for silence has passed. The moment for moral courage has arrived.

In steadfast commitment to justice and human dignity,

Sincerely,

Rev. Doshin Mako Voelkel

Rev. Ben Connelly, Minnesota Zen Meditation Center

Rev. Jisan Tova Green, San Francisco Zen Center

Rev. Zenshin Greg Fain, Berkeley Zen Center

Rev. Kakushin Jill Kaplan

Sallie Jiko Tisdale, Dharma Rain Zen Center of Portland

Judy Roitman (Zen Master Bon Hae)

Rev. Eido Frances Carney

Rev. Susan Myoyu Andersen, Great Plains Zen Center

Rev. Jisho Warner

Rev. Joan Jiko Halifax

Rev. Chris Fortin, Dharma Heart Zen, Everyday Zen Foundation

Rev. Tenku Ruff, Beacon Zen Temple

Rev. Keido San’un Phillips, Empty Sky Sangha

Rev. Misha Shungen Merrill, Zen Heart Sangha

Mary Koopman, Every Day Zen

Rev. Busshō Lahn, Flying Cloud Zen

Rev. Daigan Gaither

Rev. Nenzen Pamela Brown, Los Gatos, California

Rev. Domyo Burk, Bright Way Zen

Rev.  Shoshin Cynthia Ziegler, Sellwood Soto Zen, Oregon

Rev. M. Denis Lahey, Hartford Street Zen Center

Dan Myoen Birnbaum,

Rev. Renshin Bunce, Beginner’s Mind Zen of Eureka

Rev. Eugene Bush Santa Cruz and Arcata Zen Centers

Rev. Shosan Austin

Rev. Eiko Joshin Atkinson

Rev. Nomon Tim Burnett, Red Cedar Zen Community, Bellingham, WA

Rev, Taigen Dan Leighton, Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, Chicago

Rev. Hakusen Gendo Field, Upper Valley Zen, VT

Rev. Hobu Beata Chapman, NoWalls Zen, Ashland, OR

Rev. Peg Syverson, Appamada, Austin, TX

Rev Inryū Poncé-Barger, Washington, DC

Rev. Myozen Joan Amaral, Zen Center North Shore, MA

Rev. Shinchi Linda Galijan, Berkeley Zen Center, CA

Rev. Myo-O Marilyn Habermas-Scher, Clouds in Water Zen Center, MN

Rev. Hogen Bays, Great Vow Zen Monastery, OR

Rev. Jan Chozen Bays, Great Vow Zen Monastery, OR

Rev. Shinryu Thomson, NY

Julie Seido Nelson, Greater Boston Zen Center, MA

Rev. Tenzen David Zimmerman

Rev. Neti Mushin Parekh

Rebecca Li

Abby Mushin Terris, Sangha Jewel Zen Center, OR

Rev. Cynthia Ryotan Kear, Great Spirit Sangha, San Francisco, CA

Rev. Sara  Hunsaker,  Monterey Bay Zen Center, Monterey/Carmel, CA

Rev. Rev. Ryushin Andrea Thach, Berkeley Zen Center

Rev. Rengetsu Edie Brown, British Columbia, Canada

Rev. Mary Ann Sacksteder, Everyday Zen, Dharma Heart Zen

Rev. Sunyana Graef, Vermont Zen Center, Shelburne, VT

Rev. Taishin Michael Augustin

Rev. Sanriki Jaramillo, Montaña de Silencio, Medellín, Colombia.

Rev. Diane Eshin Rizzetto, Oakland, CA

Rev. Melissa Myōzen Blacker, Boundless Way Zen Temple, Worcester, MA

Rev. Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt. Tremper, NY

Rev. Pat Enkyo O’Hara, NYC

Joel Barrna, Appamada, Austin TX

Rev.Reirin Gumbel

jacob seiryo gendelman, warwick zendo/Yokoji Zen Mountain Center

Rev. Genjo Marinello, abbot of Chobo-Ji Zen Center, Seattle, WA

Rev. Kenshin Catherine Cascade, Bird Haven Zendo, Eugene, OR

Rev. Rinzan Pechovnik, abbot of No-Rank Zen Temple, Portland, OR

Patricia Wolff, Monterey Bay Zen Center, Monterey, California

Rev. Michael Shoryu Fieleke, Living Vow Zen, Newton, MA

Rev. Kanzan Bruce Fortin, Occidental Laguna Zen Sangha, Occidental Ca.

Shoho Michael Newhall, Los Gatos , CA , Los Gatos, CA

Rev. Patrick Kennyo Dunn, Mud Lotus Sangha, Columbus, OH

Rev. Daigaku Rummé Alan Sanhyō Richardson, Boundless Way Zen Temple, Worcester, MA

Debra Seido Martin, Zen West, Eugene, OR

Rev. Tom Dharma-Joy Reichert, Zen Center of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Karen DeCotis, San Antonio Zen Center

Rev. Kidō Ian Case, Brooklyn Zen Center

Rev Joan Hogetsu Hoeberichts, Heart Circle Zen, Tiburon, CA

Ji Haeng Zen Master Kwan Um School of Zen Zen Center of Las Vegas

Marshall White, JDPSN, Kwan Um School of Zen, Berkeley CA

Michael Kieran, Honolulu, HI

Rev. Mark Morris, Heart Circle Zen, Hackensack, NJ

Bernie Rhie, Williamstown Zen Group, Williamstown, MA

Matthew Keeler JDPSN, Kwan Um School of Zen, New York, NY

Ji Hyang Padma, Buddhist Chaplain, Boulder, CO

Rev. Zenki Mary Mocine, Founding Teacher Vallejo Zen Center (for identification only, not on behalf of Center)

Rev. Dae Jaang James Casebolt, Belmont Zen Center, St. Clairsville, OH

Kim Mosley, Appamada, Austin, TX

Shin’yu Vitells, Dharma Rain Zen Center, Portland OR

Rev. Jisho Siebert, Ames, IA

Charlie Korin Pokorny, Brooklyn Zen Center, NY

Rev. Kodo Conlin, Santa Cruz, CA

Rev. Josho Pat Phelan

Reverend Tanya Wiser, San Carlos CA

Rev. Peter van der Sterre. Oak Street Sanctuary,  San Francisco and Boise ID.

Rev. Myozan Kodo Kilroy.

Zen Master Hye Mun

Joseph Bobrow

Rev. Dawn Neal, Santa Cruz CA

Rev. Kirsten Rudestam, White Salmon WA

Rev. Dr. Daijaku Kinst, Ocean Gate Zen Center, Santa Cruz CA

Jūken Zach Fehst, Clouds in Water Zen Center, St. Paul, MN

Rev. Shinshu Roberts, Ocean Gate Zen Center, Santa Cruz CA

Rev. Onryu Kennedy

Rev. Hogetsu Laurie Belzer, Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, Chicago, IL

Sensei Eihei Nanfu

Rev. Keidō Thotland

Rev. Rakugo Castaldo, Soji Zen Center, Lansdowne PA

Rev. Zenku Smyers, Mission Mountain Zen Center, Dayton MT

Rev. Gensan Kristopher Thomson, Berkeley Zen Center in

Rev.  Mary Grace Orr

Rev. Teshin Sweger, North Carolina Zen Center

Rev Gerry Shishin Wick, Berthoud, CO

Roshi Eve Marko, Zen Peacemaker Order

Rev Mei Elliott, Santa Cruz CA

Daya Goldschlag, Stonewillow Zendo, Spokane, WA

Rev. Geido Ann Grossman, Delray Beach, Florida    

Rev Norman Fischer

Rev. Liz Powell, Castle Pines, CO

Jason Aylsworth, Zen Center North Shore, MA

Rev. Hoky Enso Chuck Hutchcraft

Rev. Shelley Gault, Santa Barbara, California

Rev. Ying Chen, Los Altos, California

Barbara Rhodes, Kwan Um School of Zon

Laurie Winnette, Appamada, Austin, Texas

Dr. Will Holcomb, Heartland Zen, St. Louis, Missouri

Rafe Jnan Martin

Kodo Conover, Zen Teacher/Priest,Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple, Portland , OR

Rev. Jundo Cohen, Treeleaf Zendo

Rev. James Ishmael Ford, Empty Moon Zen

Jane Steinberg, LZTA, UpayaZen  Center and  Everyday Zen

Rev. Mark Kizan Shogen Bloodgood, San Luis Obospo, CA

Rev. Jodo Clusin, Prairie Mountain Zen Center, Longmont, CO

Roshi Deirdre Eisho Peterson, Red Rocks Zen Circle, Sedona, AZ

Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders

D Allen, Di Pwa Pwa, Carmel, CA

Larry Trussell, Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple, Portland OR

Rev. Kosen Gregory Snyder, Union Theological Seminary, NY, NY

Hannah Sullivan, Red Cedar Zen Community, Bellingham WA

Rev. Kusa Ivan Mayerhofer, Cornelius, NC

Rev. Sessei Meg Levie

Myogen Katherine Stark

Dokai Georgesen, Hokyoji Zen Practice Community

Gabe Keller Flores, Common Ground Meditation Center

Bobby Chowa Werner, Sweetwater Zen Center

Peter Nichols, Zen Center of Philadelphia

Dana Kojun Lederhos-Hull, Upright Noble Zen, Anchorage, AK

Chris Chapman, JDPSN, Golden Wind Zen Order, Seattle, WA

Rev.Unshin Sangaku Dan Joslyn, Falmouth, MA

J. Lee Nelson, MD, Everyday Zen, Seattle, WA

Myogen Neal Shorstein, Everyday Zen, Oakland, CA

Rev. Paul Soshin Galvin, Boundless Way Zen Temple, Wilmington, VT

Rev. Ōshin Jennings, Jikoji Zen Center, Los Gatos, CA

Rhonda Magee

Rev. Thanissara mary Weinberg

Margaret Fletcher, MBSR tradition, Concord NH

Eric Shōkei Manigian, NYC

JD Doyle, East BayMeditation Center, Oakland , CA

Dawn Mauricio

Rev. Daiken Nelson, Pamsula Zen Center, NYC & Iowa City Zen Center

Dharmarcharini Upāyadhī, Triratna Buddhist Community NYC/NJ

Shin-bi Alexandra Gekas Cain, Cold Spring, NY

Ereeni Roulakis, Mid City Zen, New Orleans, LA

Diane Musho Hamiton Roshi and Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Roshi, co-founders of Two Arrows Zen in Salt Lake City and Torrey, Utah

Reigetsu Susan Moon, teacher, Everyday Zen Sangha

Rev. Robert Joshin Althouse, Zen Life & Meditation Center, Chicago

Rev. June Ryushin Tanoue, Zen Life & Meditation Center, Chicago

Jishi Jeff Bickner, Everyday Zen

Meikyo Chelsea True, Dharma Heart Zen

Rev. Shodo Spring, Faribault, MN

Terry Moran, Exeter, NH

Tim Colohan, Dharma Zen Center, Kwan Um School of Zen

Prof. Roger Walsh MD, Dzogchen Foundation

Ryushin Paul Haller, San Francisco Zen Center

Anthony Nentatsu Yuschak, Lansdowne, PA

Rev. Doralee Grindler Katonah, Valley Streams Zen Sangha, Sacramento, CA.

So’on Jim Hare, Valley Streams Zen Sangha, Sacramento, CA

Elaine Retholtz, New York Insight Meditation Center

The petition noted that all Zen center and temple names listed were for identification only, and that teachers were not signing on behalf of these institutions.

On 23 April, a federal judge ordered a hearing for Mahdawi’s bail and extended the temporary restraining order issued by a separate judge, keeping him in Vermont. In a statement from detention via his lawyers, Mahdawi said:

I don’t want people to lose hope. Stay positive and believe in the inevitability of justice. This hearing is part of the democratic system as it prevents a tyrant from having unchecked power. Keep the hope alive. I will see you under the sun. (The Guardian)

See more

Judge orders bail hearing for detained student Mohsen Mahdawi next week (The Guardian)
New court filings detail Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi’s ICE arrest: ‘It was a trap’ (Gothamist)
Columbia student arrested by ICE has deep well of support in Vermont (The Washington Post)      
NEWS: Sanders, Welch, Balint Statement on Trump Detaining Mohsen Mahdawi (Bernie Sanders)         

Related news reports from BDG

Calls for Due Process After US Authorities Detain Palestinian Buddhist Leader and Columbia Student Mohsen Mahdawi
Meditation Practitioners and Teachers Launch Petition to End Violence in Palestine
Buddhist Scholar Maung Zarni among Interfaith Delegation Visiting Palestine
Soka Gakkai Council on Peace Issues Releases “Statement on the Israel-Palestine Situation”
American Buddhists Condemn US Policy of Separating Immigrant Children from Parents at US Border with Mexico