Momodou Taal, a British-Gambian Ph.D. student at Cornell University, has left the U.S. following threats of deportation related to his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Taal had been suspended by the university and was among multiple international students targeted by federal authorities under the Trump administration for activities deemed antisemitic. He expressed a lack of trust in the legal system to protect his rights and highlighted the broader risks for others involved in similar activism. His departure coincided with a heightened crackdown on dissent against U.S. foreign policy regarding Israel.
"Given what we have seen across the United States, I have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee my personal safety and ability to express my beliefs."
"I took the decision to leave the United States, free and with my head held high," Mr. Taal wrote in a statement.
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