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Columbia University says it revoked students’ diplomas over Gaza protests
The New York-based university announces punishment against students who took over an academic building last year to demand divestment from companies with links to the Israeli military.
“Today, the Columbia University Judicial Board determined findings and issued sanctions to students ranging from multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions related to the occupation of Hamilton Hall last spring,” the university said in a statement.
The announcement comes as immigration authorities continue to detain Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil over his involvement in protests last year.
The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it was withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to Columbia over the demonstrations.
A protest at Washington Square Park in New York against the detention of Khalil, March 11
‘This is how totalitarian regimes start’
US Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman has raised the alarm about the detention of Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil, underscoring that the Columbia University graduate has not been charged with a crime.
“It brings to mind the disappearing of dissidents in totalitarian regimes like Saddam Hussein’s Iraq or Chile or even Nazi Germany,” Watson Coleman said in a video statement.
She stressed the need to demand Khalil’s release.
“This is how totalitarian regimes start. They begin by testing our resolve to defend the rights of vulnerable people,” she said.
Today, it's Mahmoud Khalil. But tomorrow, it could very well be you or me. pic.twitter.com/SXoBsn3d0O
— Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (@RepBonnie) March 13, 2025
Americans have been giving up their freedom for manufactured threats for too long. More people need to stand up or it will only get worse.
Top Trump official struggles to justify detention of Mahmoud Khalil
Troy Edgar, the deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, failed to offer any specifics about what the Palestinian activist did that merits arrest and deportation.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident, has been detained by US immigration authorities for five days over helping organise protests critical of Israel at Columbia University last year.
In a contentious interview with NPR, Edgar eluded that Khalil may have violated his visa with “pro-Palestinian activity”, but when pressed about what exactly the Columbia graduate did wrong, the US official struggled to offer details.
“I think if he would have declared he’s a terrorist, we would have never let him in,” Edgar said.
NPR’s Michel Martin asked Edgar what constitutes “terrorist” activity.
“Have you watched it on TV? It’s pretty clear,” the US official responded. Martin, however, stressed that it is actually not clear.
Edgar also failed to answer questions on whether criticising Israel is now a deportable offence in the US.
