Overview

• Mohsen Mahdawi, detained by ICE in April during a citizenship interview, was released on April 30 by a federal judge citing due process violations.
• On May 19, Mahdawi walked the Columbia University graduation stage, wearing a keffiyeh and a cap adorned with symbols of justice and Palestinian resistance, to cheers from his peers.
• The Trump administration seeks to deport pro-Palestinian activists like Mahdawi under a Cold War-era statute, citing potential threats to U.S. foreign policy.
• Columbia University faces criticism from Mahdawi for alleged inaction on doxing and discrimination against pro-Palestinian students, as well as federal funding cuts tied to claims of antisemitism on campus.
• Mahdawi’s classmate Mahmoud Khalil remains in federal custody, awaiting a judicial review of his detention as legal battles over activist deportations continue.