The Department of Philosophy at Columbia University has issued a statement about Mohsen Mahdawi, the philosophy major taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this past Monday.

The statement, currently posted on the Department of Philosophy website, reads:

It has come to the attention of members of the Department of Philosophy at Columbia University that one of our students, Mohsen Mahdawi, was detained in Vermont by agents of the Department of Homeland Security.

We express our horror and dismay at the fact that a legal resident of the United States—someone who has been accused of no crime—should be detained in this manner. We would like to convey our sympathy and our support to Mohsen, to his family, and to his friends.

We call upon the Provost and Acting President of Columbia University to assist by all means, including through the provision of material and legal resources, any Columbia student targeted or detained—and seemingly only for having exercised their right to the free and peaceful expression of political opinion.

from the Columbia University Department of Philosophy website

Separately, a fundraiser has been started for Mahdawi by his friend, Sven Karlen, to help with the “substantial legal expenses to effect his release from detention and to achieve his quest for US citizenship.”

As of the time of this post, over 200 people have contributed over $35,000 to the fundraiser. You can read more about Mahdawi, his situation, and the fundraiser here.