A Cornell University graduate student, Momodou Taal, has left the United States after his student visa was revoked due to his participation in campus protests against Israel.
Taal, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and The Gambia, was involved in demonstrations amid the Israel-Gaza conflict. His visa was revoked last year, and after a legal battle to remain in the U.S., he announced on social media that he had chosen to leave “free and with my head held high” following a judge’s decision denying his request to delay deportation.
The Trump administration has been revoking student visas for international students engaged in such protests, citing national security concerns. Officials have described cases like Taal’s as “self-deportations.”
Taal, who had been suspended twice by Cornell, had previously expressed strong support for Palestinian resistance. In a statement, he said he no longer believed he could safely remain in the U.S. and decided to leave on his own terms.
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at least 300 international students have had their visas revoked for similar reasons. The administration has justified these actions under immigration laws that allow the removal of non-citizens deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy or national security.
Critics argue that the policy undermines free speech, while supporters maintain it is necessary to address concerns about campus activism. Another affected student, Ranjani Srinivasan, who also left the U.S., stated that she hoped to clear her name and continue her academic career.
