Protesting student at Cornell University seeks court intervention to avoid deportation.
Fighting for His Voice: Cornell Grad Student Battles Deportation Over Pro-Palestinian Protests
Momodou Taal, a doctoral candidate in Africana Studies at Cornell University who is also a dual citizen of the UK and Gambia, finds himself in a precarious situation, fearing potential deportation for expressing his pro-Palestinian views. Taal has filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration's controversial executive orders, accusing them of targeting universities and "foreign national" protesters.
Taal's legal team claims that federal law enforcement officers have been tracking his movements, potentially planning to kick him out of the country as part of the Trump administration's efforts to stamp out supposedly anti-Semitic speech on college campuses.
"Living in constant fear that he may be arrested by immigration officials or police due to his speech," Taal's attorneys remarked in the lawsuit, which they filed over the weekend. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate two executive orders targeting universities and foreign protesters.
As of Friday morning, the government had yet to respond to the federal complaint. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the attorney representing the Trump administration in the lawsuit have commented on the matter.
Joining Taal in the lawsuit are another doctoral candidate and a Cornell professor – both U.S. citizens – who claim that their First Amendment rights have been stifled by the threat of prosecution for participating in protests against Israeli policies.
"This lawsuit is essential to preserve our most fundamental constitutional protections," Abed Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, wrote in a statement. "The First Amendment safeguards the right to free speech and expression for all citizens, without exception."
Taal's struggle comes just two weeks after the detention of a pro-Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A judge has halted efforts to expel this individual from the country, but it marks the first significant move in a series of immigration actions focusing on college students and faculty.
According to Taal's attorneys, he is at imminent risk of being deported due to the presence of an individual believed to be a law enforcement officer lurking in a private parking lot outside Telluride House – the specialized academic housing on campus where Taal resides. This individual pulled out a badge upon being confronted by a Telluride House employee.
Another resident of Telluride House reported seeing two unmarked cars stalking the residence, adding to concerns over possible harassment and detention. Taal's legal team is particularly concerned that, should he be detained, he might be taken to a different jurisdiction, as happened to a Palestinian activist who was arrested in New York and transferred to an immigration detention facility in Louisiana.
This isn't the first time Taal has faced the threat of losing his visa. Last year, he was suspended twice by Cornell for alleged disruptive protest activities, and he was warned that his academic suspension could lead to the revocation of his visa, forcing him to leave the U.S. Taal reached an agreement with the university allowing him to return to classes in the spring semester, but only remotely.
Controversy arose after Taal's social media posts following the Hamas October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, during which over 1,200 lives were lost. Taal tweeted, "colonized peoples have the right to resist by any means necessary" and "Glory to the resistance!" He downplayed complaints about his statements in a November 2023 interview with CNN, discussing his exhaustion with being consistently asked to condemn Hamas.
"I think it's quite racist, Islamophobic that before I'm allowed to have a view on genocide, I have to condemn a terrorist organization," Taal stated. "I can clearly and categorically state that I abhor the killing of all civilians, no matter where they are and who does it."
Taal is among the pro-Palestinian activists flagged for potential deportation by Betar US, a self-described Zionist advocacy group categorized as an extremist group by the Anti-Defamation League. A spokesperson for Betar US stated, "We submitted the names of hundreds of protesters and activists to the Trump administration/DHS, urging ICE to deport them under the executive orders."
"Those who come to the U.S. on visas or as naturalized citizens don't have the right to participate in Hamas events or support terrorist organizations," the spokesperson added.
Hundreds of supporters rallied in an impromptu demonstration on the Cornell campus in response to Taal's situation, expressing concerns about the erosion of civil liberties. "Now, people are noticing. They want to come out," Alaa Farghli, who reported seeing the suspected law enforcement vehicle outside Taal's residence, stated to CNN affiliate WBNG. "They don't want to lose the civil liberties they hold onto dearly."
The case continues, with a hearing scheduled for next Tuesday to address Trump's executive orders. However, specific updates on the court's rulings or subsequent developments are currently unavailable. The situation underscores broader concerns about academic freedom and the targeting of pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
- Taal, along with a fellow doctoral candidate and a Cornell professor, are suing the Trump administration, arguing that their First Amendment rights have been stifled by the threat of prosecution for expressing pro-Palestinian views, a claim that is supported by Abed Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
- Momodou Taal, who is at imminent risk of deportation according to his legal team, has been a target due to his perceived anti-Semitic speech, as alleged by his legal team, who claim that federal law enforcement officers have been tracking his movements and potentially planning his deportation.
- As the court case continues, featuring a hearing scheduled for next Tuesday, concerns about academic freedom and the targeting of pro-Palestinian voices on campus have arisen, sparking impromptu demonstrations on the Cornell campus supporting Taal, with protesters expressing fears about the erosion of civil liberties.
