Criticism Mounts Against Cornell Over Potential Deportation of Pro-Palestinian Student
On Friday, two U.S. Congress members expressed their disapproval of Cornell University’s handling of Momodou Taal, a Ph.D. student from the UK, whose pro-Palestinian activism might lead to his deportation. This situation has unfolded at the university’s campus in Ithaca, New York.
“The decision by Cornell University to potentially deport an international student due to their participation in a protest, without proper due process, is appalling. This is not acceptable, and I call on the university to immediately reconsider their actions,” expressed U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) via social media. Senator Sanders is prominently recognized for his critical stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), who has also been critical of the situation in Gaza and who will be leaving his position after a defeat in the primaries to a pro-Israel candidate, voiced his support for Taal on Friday evening.
“Momodou Taal was merely protesting peacefully against the involvement of weapons manufacturers at a university career fair—yet his peaceful protest has triggered efforts towards his deportation.”
“Former President Donald Trump has previously shown his stance on Black immigrants, and I hope Cornell chooses not to follow in those footsteps,” Bowman stated on social media.
“He participated in a peaceful protest at a career fair, which has led Cornell to initiate his deportation proceedings,” he continued. “It’s crucial that Cornell overturns his suspension. The rights to protest and free speech are fundamental freedoms that should be protected and upheld by all educational institutions.”
Cornell’s vice president for university relations, Joel M. Malina, has conveyed to the press this week that while universities can suspend students and restrict their access to campus, they do not hold the power to deport anyone.
In a rebuttal, Taal’s lawyer, Eric Lee, criticized Cornell’s stance as deceitful, arguing that “the university’s actions against Mr. Taal for his participation in a free speech activity are well understood to result in serious immigration repercussions, setting a concerning precedent nationally.”
Taal, a 30-year-old Ph.D. candidate in Africana studies and a seminar instructor, is a member of the Coalition for Mutual Liberation. He was part of a group of over 100 students who recently protested at a campus career fair featuring companies like Boeing and L3Harris, which were targeted by the students for their involvement in Gaza conflicts.
In a recent video interview, The Cornell Daily Sun‘s Gabriel Levin reported that Taal seems to be the only student suspended following the protest. Taal believes his suspension may be due to his identity as a Black Muslim and his prominent role in campus pro-Palestinian activities.
Early Monday, Taal was notified via email about a complaint filed by Cornell police concerning the career fair protest, which includes allegations he denies. Consequently, he has been suspended from campus.
As an F-1 visa holder, this suspension jeopardizes his ability to stay in the U.S. As reported by The Nation, the F-1 visa program permits foreign nationals to reside in the U.S. as long as they are enrolled in a suitable academic program. A suspension can lead to a change in immigration status, prompting potential deportation.
Cornell University has not clarified its policies on handling students with F-1 visas during suspensions. Currently, the university continues to label Taal’s exclusion as a “temporary suspension,” but this places him in a precarious immigration situation without the robust evidence required for criminal charges.
On Thursday, Taal shared on social media that his appeal was swiftly rejected by the vice president of student and campus life, Ryan Lombardi, after just one business day. He remarked, “This rapid dismissal of my appeal once again shows the lack of due process in my case, aimed at silencing my voice. I have until tomorrow at 5:00 pm to appeal to the provost. If this appeal fails, I believe my withdrawal from the university will be processed, and I will be forced to leave the country.”
“Again, there has been no investigation, nor have I had the opportunity to respond to the accusations,” he added. “I affirm that all my activities were peaceful and within my rights under the First Amendment. This is a targeted attack against a Black Muslim student in an environment where these identities are increasingly marginalized. The university has shown that it will forsake academic freedom and free speech to protect its financial interests when it comes to Palestine.”
Taal’s next step is to appeal to Cornell’s interim provost, John Siciliano, who, according to a Monday email to students, supports harsh measures against pro-Palestinian activists, including legal actions, as noted by the Sun in a Thursday editorial.
The university faces significant pressure from its students, faculty, alumni, local groups, and national advocates to cease its unfair treatment of Taal, who has been active in pro-Palestinian advocacy at Cornell during the past academic year amidst nationwide campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
“The concerning aspect of Taal’s suspension for the Cornell community isn’t about agreeing with his views—it’s about the university denying him the due process every student deserves,” stated the Sun in an editorial. “Without an independent evaluation of the evidence, this situation amounts to nothing less than a sham trial where the provost acts as judge, jury, and executioner.”
“To worsen the situation, Cornell may also be in violation of labor laws,” the newspaper further explained. “Cornell violated a recent agreement with Cornell Graduate Students United, which mandates negotiations with the union before any graduate student can be de-enrolled or suspended. In this case, the university acted unilaterally without any negotiation.”
Despite the potential severe consequences of his activism, Taal maintained on social media Friday night that he “will never regret standing up for Palestine.”
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