Cornell graduate student Momodou Taal has voluntarily left the United States after facing deportation threats from the Trump administration due to his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
Taal, a joint citizen of the UK and The Gambia, announced his decision to leave the US on social media platform X, explaining that he had lost faith in the legal system and feared for his safety if he remained.
“Today I took the decision to leave the US free and with my head held high,” Taal wrote. “Given what we have seen across the United States, I have lost faith that a favourable ruling from the courts would guarantee my personal safety and ability to express my beliefs. I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted. Weighing upon these options, I took the decision to leave on my own terms.”
Taal had sued the Trump administration in a bid to block an executive order aimed at deporting students involved in protests related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
His lawsuit, filed on March 15, argued that the deportation orders violated his First and Fifth Amendment rights.
However, US District Judge Elizabeth Coombe of the Northern District of New York rejected his request for an injunction, ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
In response to the court’s decision, Taal withdrew his lawsuit and announced his voluntary departure.
Taal’s deportation stemmed from his participation in pro-Palestinian protests at Cornell University in 2023, during which he expressed solidarity with Palestinian resistance groups.
He had been temporarily suspended by Cornell and was allowed to continue his studies remotely while his visa status was under review.
The Trump administration’s aggressive stance on deporting international students engaged in protests against Israel has resulted in the revocation of more than 100 student visas, according to statements from officials.
Taal’s case was one of the most prominent, with his legal battle drawing attention to the broader crackdown on free speech and protest activities in US universities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly stated that the Immigration and Nationality Act permits the deportation of non-citizens deemed to be adversarial to US foreign policy or national security interests.
In his statement, Taal emphasised the personal toll of living under threat of deportation. “I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted,” he wrote.
Taal’s departure mirrors that of other students targeted by the Trump administration. Indian scholar Ranjani Srinivasan, who was also facing deportation over protest activities, chose to leave the US for similar reasons.
The Trump administration’s efforts to combat what it has labelled antisemitism on US campuses have resulted in a contentious series of deportations and legal challenges.
Critics argue that the administration’s actions violate fundamental rights to free speech and protest, while supporters maintain that the measures are necessary to safeguard national security and support foreign policy objectives.
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