• Mohsen Mahdawi graduates from Columbia University less than three weeks after ICE release.
• His detention was part of a crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism under the Trump administration.
• Mahdawi joined a vigil for classmate Mahmoud Khalil, who remains in custody.
• He expressed feelings of victory and outlined future academic goals.

Mohsen Mahdawi crossed the stage to receive his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Columbia University on Monday, less than three weeks after being released from ICE custody. His arrest on April 14 during a U.S. citizenship interview was part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators, a move that activists have criticized as politically motivated, according to The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

During the ceremony, Mahdawi wore a keffiyeh and received rapturous applause from his peers as he celebrated his achievement. He later participated in a vigil supporting Mahmoud Khalil, a fellow activist still in custody, highlighting the ongoing struggles against U.S. policies towards advocates of Palestinian rights, according to CBS News and TRT Global.

Mahdawi described the experience as "bittersweet," reflecting on the limitations placed on him by the Trump administration's approach to pro-Palestinian activism. He stated, "They wanted me to be in prison clothes, to not have education and to not have joy or celebration," emphasizing a sense of resilience against oppressive powers, according to Anadolu Agency and Los Angeles Times.

Despite the challenges following his detention, Mahdawi plans to pursue a graduate degree at Columbia University this fall. He voiced his commitment to continue advocating for Palestinian rights, stating, "Nor the Trump administration, nor Columbia University, nor any power in this world will stop us from being and continuing to be humans," underlining the importance of solidarity and activism in his journey, according to CBS News and TRT Global.