Mohsen Mahdawi, a U.S. permanent resident, was detained last week at his citizenship interview near Burlington. HARTLAND, Vt. — The white steepled church in this tiny town was full, every seat taken and still more people standing at the back, all hoping to help the student they consider one of their own.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to keep Mohsen Mahdawi, the Columbia student who was arrested during his citizenship interview last week, in Vermont while his case proceeds. In the written order filed on Thursday morning,