Trump tries to deport Hasidic Jew who protested Israel

9 sources · updated 2 days ago

Summary

Yehonatan Ovadia, a 35-year-old Israeli citizen on a religious worker visa, attended a November 2023 protest in Ramapo, New York where an Israeli flag was removed from town hall.The Forward Yahoo
Ovadia said he was present but did not tear down the flag; hate crime charges against him were dropped, and he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in February 2024.The Forward Yahoo
The Trump administration revoked his legal status based on the protest, and he was detained by ICE in August 2025, remaining in custody after a judge denied him bail.The Forward Yahoo Haaretz
His lawyers argue the government penalized him for protected speech based on religious beliefs, since Satmar Jews theologically oppose Israel before the Messiah's arrival.The Forward Yahoo

Right-leaning Israeli outlets led with Ovadia's arrest and visa revocation tied to the flag protest, while left-leaning outlets emphasized the free speech implications and the government's stated grounds of violence and property damage.The Jerusalem Post Arutz Sheva Arutz Sheva The Forward Yahoo
Pro-Israel outlets characterized him as anti-Zionist and noted his alignment with pro-Palestinian activism, while critical outlets framed the case as selective enforcement against religious Jewish protesters.nytimes.com The Forward The Jerusalem Post Yahoo

Ovadia released a statement expressing solidarity with Palestinians, calling Israel a 'Zionist criminal war machine,' and vowing to demonstrate from multiple countries.