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3w ago

Cornell Student Activist Departs U.S. After Losing Deportation Battle

Momodou Taal, whose visa was revoked over pro-Palestinian protests, left voluntarily citing safety concerns as legal challenges to the Trump administration's policies continue.

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Muslim protestors pray outside the main campus of Columbia University during a demonstration to denounce the immigration arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead protests against Israel at the university, in New York City, U.S., March 14, 2025. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo/File Photo
People hold signs as they participate in a protest in support of Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil while a hearing takes place, outside the court in Newark, New Jersey, on March 28, 2025.
Goldwin Smith Hall at the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, N.Y., in 2023.

Overview

  • Momodou Taal, a Cornell University doctoral student, left the U.S. voluntarily after a federal judge denied his request to block deportation following his visa revocation.
  • The Trump administration revoked Taal's visa in March 2025, citing his involvement in disruptive pro-Palestinian protests and alleged creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students.
  • Taal's legal challenge to two Trump administration executive orders was withdrawn, with Taal expressing fears for his safety and ability to express his beliefs in the U.S.
  • The administration has revoked over 300 student visas as part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, invoking national security and anti-terrorism measures.
  • In a related development, a federal judge ruled that Columbia University protester Mahmoud Khalil's legal challenge to his detention will proceed in New Jersey, not Louisiana.