Leen Hijaz, a Muslim high school student in North Carolina, went off script in her valedictorian speech to condemn ICE and call out suffering in the Middle East before being pulled off the stage by the school's principal:
“Before I leave the stage, I have one last thing to say. Every single person here has a voice; we have the privilege to use it when millions around the world are struggling and suffering to be heard. Whether it’s the millions suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan and so many other countries around the world, or families being torn apart by ICE. These are not just an issue here; they are happening there, they’re happening right here as I speak. My point is, we’re not given a voice to stay silent.”
HS valedictorian's anti-Israel rant dramatically cut off by principal after she blasts ICE https://t.co/WbRJ2erfHM pic.twitter.com/hbhrS9JlUH
— New York Post (@nypost) June 2, 2026
A high school valedictorian hijacked her graduation speech to rant against Israel and ICE - and was dramatically yanked from the podium, shocking video showed. https://t.co/NnTgz55SEk
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) June 2, 2026
Following the incident, Hijaz took to TikTok to further explain her side of the situation, saying her principal told her she would not graduate if she continued speaking. She also said her diploma is currently withheld, but according to the school, it has since been awarded. In the video, Hijaz is seen sitting in her car, with a keffiyeh covering the headrest.
In a statement to the NYPost, the school said the following:
"During this year’s Clayton High School graduation, a student departed from her approved remarks. School administrators intervened in order to maintain the integrity and focus of the program in real time. This action was not about limiting a student’s voice, but about ensuring that a school-sponsored event remained consistent with its intended purpose."
Actions like this are a direct result of indoctrinating ideals perpetuated by progressives and taught in academia. ICE is removing some of the most dangerous criminals let in by the Biden Administration to protect Americans. Hijaz is defending Democrat policies that allowed illegal alien criminals to be released and murder innocent young women, like Sheridan Gorman and Laken Riley. Hopefully, she will learn from this experience and come to know the truth about these leftist ideologies.
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