Mahdawi graduates from Columbia after ICE detention, tells CBS he feels "victorious"

Mohsen Mahdawi's connection to Trump

Mohsen Mahdawi's connection to Trump: "You volition not soundlessness me" 06:32

Mohsen Mahdawi graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's grade successful doctrine Monday, little than 3 weeks aft helium was released from migration custody aft being detained astatine what helium was told was a U.S. citizenship interview.

Mahdawi — who helped pb pro-Palestinian protests connected Columbia's field successful 2023 — was greeted by cheers and applause arsenic helium returned to judge his diploma, donning a bluish graduation headdress with the scales of justness depicted connected the top. After the event, helium periodically stopped to flash bid signs oregon instrumentality photos with different graduates.

In an interrogation with CBS News soon earlier the ceremony, Mahdawi said helium felt a "mix of emotions" — including a "feeling of being victorious."

"They didn't privation maine to graduate. They didn't privation maine to beryllium educated. They didn't privation maine to beryllium retired of prison," Mahdawi said. "And I americium retired due to the fact that of the bully radical successful this state and the antiauthoritarian system."

He plans to instrumentality to Columbia successful the autumn to prosecute a postgraduate degree.

Mahdawi, who has a greenish card, was detained by migration officials successful mid-April for allegedly posing a hazard of "adverse overseas argumentation consequences." He was released connected April 30 by a Vermont national justice who, successful a scathing order, said Mahdawi was apt being punished for protected speech.

Mahdawi said helium has "conflicting feelings" astir his clip astatine Columbia, citing the warfare successful Gaza and the continued detention of chap Columbia activistic Mahmoud Khalil. He was besides critical of Columbia's handling of his case, saying the schoolhouse "let maine down" by not offering him much protection. CBS News has reached retired to Columbia for comment.

Mahdawi added, "I'm not going anywhere, and I'm going to proceed my acquisition present arsenic well."

He told CBS News aft the ceremonial helium saw his classmates' reactions arsenic a "message of acknowledgement for the enactment that I person been doing, and an acknowledgement for what radical desire. They privation to spot justness and bid successful this country."

"It doesn't substance what the Trump medication is trying to accidental oregon however to overgarment me. Come and perceive to the radical who cognize me," helium added. 

What to cognize astir Mohsen Mahdawi's case

Mahdawi was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials successful Vermont successful mid-April aft arriving for what helium was told was a citizenship interview. A time beforehand, helium told CBS News helium feared the assignment was a "honey trap." He remained successful migration custody for conscionable implicit 2 weeks, until U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered his release earlier this month. 

Despite his release, Mahdawi's lawsuit remains active arsenic a judge reviews the issue. 

The Trump medication is seeking to deport Mahdawi nether a instrumentality that allows the authorities to revoke visas if the caput of authorities believes somebody's beingness successful the U.S. poses "serious adverse overseas argumentation consequences." Mahdawi argues his detention violated the First Amendment by punishing him for protesting. 

The medication has besides accused Mahdawi of "threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders," which helium has denied, telling CBS News past month, "antisemitism has nary spot successful our movement."

In an interview with CBS News a week aft his release, Mahdawi called the government's statement for detaining him "laughable": "A idiosyncratic who has been vocally advocating for justness and bid is undermining U.S. policy?" helium said.

Mahdawi is 1 of respective students to look detention aft their engagement successful pro-Palestinian activism, with the authorities often citing the "foreign argumentation consequences" law.

Another Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, inactive remains successful custody successful Louisiana aft helium was detained connected March 8, arsenic the Trump medication pushes for his deportation and helium sues for his release. And Tufts University postgraduate pupil Rumeysa Ozturk was released earlier this month astatine the orders of a national judge, implicit a period aft her detention — which her lawyers accidental was prompted by thing much than an op-ed that she co-wrote successful the field newspaper.

Shortly aft the commencement, Mahdawi spoke astatine a vigil for different students who person faced migration scrutiny, including Khalil and Rajani Srinivasan, yet different Columbia pupil who self-deported to Canada aft her visa was revoked.

The medication has defended the moves. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued successful March "we person a right" to instrumentality distant visas and indicated the signifier could continue.

"We bash it each day. Every clip I find 1 of these lunatics, I instrumentality distant their visa," Rubio said.