Risking it All: Momodou Taal's Fight for Free Speech

“Anything that shows solidarity of Palestine is being mischaracterized quite erroneously as antisemitism. That’s the way in which they are trying to get us to stop speaking about Palestine,” says Momodou Taal, a Cornell University graduate student and activist now facing deportation after challenging the Trump administration in court.

The risks of political speech have escalated dramatically for international students like Taal. He spoke to The Intercept Briefing yesterday, underscoring the chilling reality he and his peers now face. “It’s not just that you might get kicked out of school or suspended,” says Taal, “but you are threatened with deportation and ICE custody now. That’s what’s at stake here.” 

Late last week, federal officials sent Taal’s attorney a midnight email demanding he appear before Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday. The email provided no grounds for the request. This typically marks the beginnings of removal proceedings against an individual in the U.S. 

Only afterward, over the weekend, did the Department of Justice claim Taal’s student visa had been revoked on March 14th by the State Department due to “disruptive protests” and “creating a hostile environment for Jewish students.” 

The timing is telling—just days after Taal, a dual Gambian and British citizen, joined other Cornell plaintiffs in a lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of targeting international students for supporting Palestinian rights. In their complaint the plaintiffs state “The First Amendment protects people and not citizens alone. This includes non-citizens living in the U.S.” 

Taal had participated in pro-Palestine protests at Cornell. His legal team argues the order to appear before ICE demonstrates their central claim that deportation is being weaponized “in retribution” for lawful political speech.

Despite the pressure, Taal sees the government’s actions as evidence of weakness, not strength. “You don’t repress to this level when you’re in a position of strength. When you have to quell speech, it means that you are realizing that the outside world or public opinion is swaying in one direction. So I think now would not be the time to be afraid. I know it’s a very frightening moment, but for me, this is the time to double down.”

As Tuesday approaches, Taal remains resolute about the potential consequences. “If I have to leave the country, it would be back to the UK. I know the weather’s terrible and your listeners probably don’t like beans and toast either, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world going back to the UK. I think about what the Palestinians have endured for 76 years and more—what I’m going through pales in comparison.”

Listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

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