Mohsen Mahdawi graduates from Columbia weeks after release from ICE detention
Mahdawi, a US green card holder, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on April 14 during a citizenship interview. His detention came amid a wider crackdown by the Trump administration on foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. A federal judge in Vermont ordered his release on April 30.
Wearing a keffiyeh draped over his graduation robe, Mahdawi was met with cheers from fellow students as he received his degree in philosophy from Columbia's School of General Studies.
Later in the day, Mahdawi joined a vigil outside Columbia's gates, holding up a photo of his detained classmate Mahmoud Khalil. Addressing the crowd, he said, 'Neither the Trump administration, nor Columbia University, nor any power in this world will stop us from being and continuing to be humans.'
Mahdawi's arrest was one of several targeting international students accused by the Trump administration of expressing 'hostile attitudes' toward the US. The administration has linked such actions to what it calls a zero-tolerance policy on antisemitism, under which a number of foreign students involved in campus protests have faced detention or deportation.
A letter signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for Mahdawi's deportation, accusing him of using threatening language toward pro-Israel bystanders. However, video footage from November 2023, obtained by CBS News, shows Mahdawi publicly denouncing an antisemitic remark made by another protester.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Jordan Times
4 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Israel army chief warns of combat 'without rest' unless hostages are freed
JERUSALEM — Israel's top general has warned that there will be no respite in fighting in Gaza if negotiations fail to quickly secure the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory. "I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages," said army chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, according to a military statement. "If not, the combat will continue without rest," he said, during remarks to officers inside Gaza on Friday. Footage released by the Israeli military showed Zamir meeting soldiers and officers in a command centre. Of the 251 people who were kidnapped from Israel during Hamas's attack in October 2023, 49 remain in Gaza, 27 of them dead, according to the military. Palestinian armed groups this week released two videos of hostages looking emaciated and weak. Negotiations, mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, to secure a ceasefire and their release broke down last month, and some in Israel have called for tougher military action. This comes against the backdrop of growing pressure, both internationally and domestically, including from many of the hostages' families, to resume efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly 22-month conflict. Aid agencies have meanwhile warned that Gaza's population is facing a catastrophic famine, triggered by Israeli restrictions on aid. Zamir nonetheless rejected these allegations out of hand. "The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the IDF [military], a moral army, of war crimes," he said. "The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas." Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
Roya News
5 hours ago
- Roya News
Trump orders nuclear submarine deployment after provocative Russian comments
US President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of two American nuclear submarines to "be positioned in the appropriate regions" in response to what he called "highly provocative" comments from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The directive was announced by the President on Friday. The deployment order follows a war of words between Trump and Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council. Medvedev had recently issued public statements, which included references to Russia's Soviet-era automated nuclear retaliatory capabilities, in response to a deadline Trump had given Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face new sanctions. In a social media post, Trump stated that he acted "just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that." He added, "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances." Trump did not specify whether the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, nor did he state the exact locations of their deployment, in line with US military protocol. The US President later told reporters that a threat had been made that was "not appropriate," and that he had to be "very careful." He added, "When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared. And we're totally prepared." This deployment is being viewed by some security analysts as a rhetorical move rather than a new military action, as US nuclear-powered submarines are routinely on patrol. However, it marks a significant escalation in the public rhetoric between the two nuclear-armed nations. The US Department of Defense has not issued a public comment on the matter, and the Kremlin has not yet officially responded.
Roya News
5 hours ago
- Roya News
'Israeli' captive held in Gaza pleads for help, says he's been abandoned
An 'Israeli' captive held by Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, Evyatar David, has issued a distress call describing severe health and living conditions inside captivity, warning that his life is in danger. In a video message released Saturday, David said, "I haven't eaten for days, and I don't know what I will eat… I'm getting thinner by the day and in very bad shape." Addressing 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he added: "I feel like I've been abandoned." David stated that his physical condition is deteriorating rapidly, saying, "With each passing day, my body grows weaker… what I'm doing now is digging my own grave with my own hands." His remarks come amid a deadlock in negotiations over a potential prisoner exchange deal between Palestinian resistance factions and the 'Israeli' government. Meanwhile, internal pressure continues to mount on Netanyahu's cabinet as families of captives demand urgent action to bring their loved ones home alive.
