Cornell University Student to Leave U.S. Amid Visa Revocation and Safety Concerns

 WASHINGTON, D.C.: A Cornell University doctoral student, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, has announced his decision to leave the United States after being asked to surrender to immigration officials.

Momodou Taal, a dual citizen of the UK and the Gambia, is a PhD candidate in Africana Studies and has been actively involved in protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack. His attorneys confirmed last month that U.S. immigration authorities revoked his student visa and instructed him to turn himself in.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Taal cited fears for his personal safety and freedom of expression, stating:

"Given what we have seen across the United States, I have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee my personal safety and ability to express my beliefs."

Crackdown on Foreign Protesters

The Trump administration has taken an increasingly hardline stance against foreign pro-Palestinian demonstrators, accusing them of supporting Hamas, engaging in antisemitism, and creating diplomatic challenges for U.S. foreign policy.

Last year, Taal was part of a group that disrupted a Cornell University career fair featuring defense contractors. Following the protest, the university ordered him to study remotely. He also previously posted online that “colonized peoples have the right to resist by any means necessary.”

Legal Challenges and Visa Revocations

Taal filed a lawsuit in March challenging the deportations of protesters, but a judge denied his request last week. He is not the only student facing such action:

• Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protester, was arrested in March and is challenging his detention after Trump, without evidence, accused him of supporting Hamas.

• Badar Khan Suri, an Indian student at Georgetown University, was detained earlier this month, but a federal judge has barred his deportation for now.

• Yunseo Chung, a Korean American student at Columbia University, had her lawful permanent residency revoked, though a judge ruled she could not be detained at this time.

• Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained after co-authoring an opinion piece calling for recognition of what she described as a “Palestinian genocide.” A judge has temporarily blocked her deportation.

The Trump administration claims that over 300 visas may have been revoked as part of a broader effort to curb pro-Palestinian activism among foreign nationals in the U.S. Human rights advocates have condemned the move, arguing that it represents an unjust suppression of free speech and political dissent.