A federal judge has issued a ruling permitting Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian Arab activist and student at Columbia University, to attend his upcoming college graduation ceremony, effectively overriding the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to deport him, The Hill reported.

Mahdawi, who was recently released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, is now cleared to participate in Columbia’s commencement on May 21.

US District Judge Geoffrey Crawford's order specifies the terms of his attendance: “Mr. Mahdawi is permitted to travel to New York State on or about May 15, 2025, returning to Vermont on or about May 25, 2025, in order to attend his graduation ceremony at Columbia University and related events.”

Mahdawi, a green-card holder, has been the target of federal deportation attempts stemming from his on-campus activism. He was arrested during his naturalization hearing in April. The federal government's case against him is based on a provision allowing the Secretary of State to target international individuals deemed a threat to US foreign policy.

Prosecutors had actively argued against Mahdawi being allowed to attend his graduation.

Since his release, Mahdawi has publicly criticized both the Trump administration and Columbia University's actions regarding pro-Palestinian Arab protesters.

His arrest followed that of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student who organized anti-Israel protests on campus.

An immigration judge in Louisiana recently issued a ruling allowing the deportation of Khalil.

The government accuses Khalil of failing to disclose on his residency application what it described as his "membership" in the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA.