Pro-Palestinian student leaves US, citing fear of abduction and repression

Momodou Taal, who sued the Trump administration to stop the deportation of pro-Palestinian student protesters, has announced he is leaving the US after his visa was revoked.

In a statement on X, the Cornell University student said he no longer believes he can “walk the streets without being abducted.” He also said immigration agents had been sent to his home, and his initial legal challenge to prevent detention was rejected.

Taal, a British-Gambian national, said his lawyers had planned to file a second motion but that he had lost faith in the courts guaranteeing his safety or right to express his views.

Weighing his options, he said, “I took the decision to leave on my own terms.”

He accused US authorities of using the crackdown on Palestinian solidarity as a pretext to silence all dissent. “For every person that has remained silent, just know that you are not safe either,” he warned. “Is the imprisonment of those who speak out against a genocide a reflection of your values?”