Cornell student who is suing Trump leaves U.S. following order to surrender to ICE

• Cornell student and citizen of the UK and Gambia Momodou Taal announced his leave from the states Monday in a statement on X.
• As his lawsuit progressed, Taal was ordered to surrender to immigration agents on March 21, allegedly due to his involvement in pro-Palestine protests at Cornell.
• Taal claimed Monday to have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee his safety and the free expression of his beliefs.

A Cornell doctorate candidate recently fled the country after he was ordered by federal agents to turn himself in to immigration authorities.

Momodou Taal announced his leave from the states Monday in a statement on X.

"Today I took the decision to leave the United States free and with my head held high," he said. "I decided to sue the Trump administration with the hope that it would offer a reprieve for myself and other similarly situated persons. But Trump did not want me to have my day in court and sent ICE agents to my home and revoked my visa."

Why is Momodou Taal suing the federal government?

Taal, a citizen of the UK and The Gambia, is one of three Cornell plaintiffs suing the federal government with claims that two national security executive orders recently passed by President Donald Trump violate their First and Fifth Amendment rights and "unconstitutionally threaten" to deport non-citizens in protest of the administration and its allies.

Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and accused them of supporting militant group Hamas, of posing hurdles for U.S. foreign policy and of being antisemitic.

This is only a piece of recent deportations lodged by the administration, as 30,000 were sent to a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba at the end of January, and over 13,000 were deported to Mexico during Trump's second term so far.

Taal's involvement in pro-Palestine protests led to deportation order

As the lawsuit progressed, Taal was ordered to surrender to immigration agents on March 21, allegedly due to his involvement in pro-Palestine protests at Cornell.

Taal's lawyers challenged the request in court to no avail after submitting a temporary restraining order that would have prevented Taal's deportation.

Federal representatives told Eric Lee, one of the lawyers at Taal's defense, that the State Department revoked Taal’s visa the day before he filed the suit.

Neither Taal nor Lee responded to repeated requests for comment regarding the situation.

Taal says government has 'no respect' for rule of law

Taal claimed Monday to have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee his safety and the free expression of his beliefs.

"I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted. Weighing up these options, I took the decision to leave on my own terms," he said. "This is of course not the outcome I had wanted going into this, but we are facing a government that has no respect for the judiciary or for the rule of law."

From his statements on social media and past outspoken advocacy, Taal asserts that events leading to his leave from the states could happen to any foreigner.

"For every person that has remained silent, just know that you are not safe either," he stated. "Is the imprisonment of those who speak out against genocide a reflection of your values? Is this the kind of nation you want to live in?"

Lawyers have withdrawn his lawsuit in federal court upon his decision to leave the country.