Anti-Israel Cornell Student Facing Deportation Again After Suing Trump

An anti-Israel protester at Cornell University, Momodou Taal, who is suing the Trump administration to stop the government from deporting antisemitic noncitizens and those with “hostile attitudes” toward America, is now facing deportation — again. Mr. Taal filed a lawsuit seeking to block the government from enforcing President Trump’s executive orders, which pave the way for the deportation of certain noncitizens. The complaint was filed in the wake of the federal government’s detention of a former Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil. The Department of Homeland Security alleges Mr. Khalil, who is an Algerian citizen and leader of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, “led activities aligned to Hamas.” A federal judge temporarily blocked the government’s attempt to deport him.The Cornell University student said he was filing his lawsuit to fight against the “chill” on free speech from Mr. Trump’s executive orders.One of Mr. Taal’s lawyers, Eric Lee, said in a court filing that two days after Mr. Taal filed his lawsuit, the Justice Department sent an email informing his client that Immigration and Customs Enforcement intended to serve him with a notice to appear. Mr. Lee said the email did not explain the grounds for the removal of his client, nor did it provide a deadline for him to surrender. ICE did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication.In a statement, Mr. Lee said, “The Trump administration responded to Momodou Taal’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the executive orders by sending agents to stake out his house.”“When we asked the Court to enjoin the administration from detaining Mr. Taal as the case progresses, the administration responded by ordering him to surrender to ICE. This does not happen in a democracy. We are outraged, and every American should be too,” the statement said. “We urge the population to defend the right to freedom of speech against the urgent threat of dictatorship by exercising that right actively and vigorously.”Since Mr. Taal and his attorneys posted about ICE’s request for him to surrender, students have protested the apparent effort to deport him.The news that ICE wants Mr. Taal to surrender to its custody came days ahead of his March 25 hearing for his lawsuit against Mr. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. This is not the first time Mr. Taal has faced deportation. He was nearly deported in the fall due to his anti-Israel activism. Cornell temporarily suspended him after he participated in a noisy anti-Israel protest that the university said led to complaints of hearing loss.However, because he is in America on an F-1 student visa, the decision to suspend him, for a second time, put his ability to stay in the country at risk. The college’s interim president, Michael Kotlikoff, said protesters in the demonstration that led to Mr. Taal’s temporary suspension “loudly marched through the hotel lobby and up the stairs, frightening students, staff, and recruiters” at a career fair. The protesters allegedly “screamed into bullhorns and banged cymbals, pots and pans, resulting in medical complaints of potential hearing loss. The protesters shouted profanity, disrupted display tables, and alarmed students who had been talking with employers.”While Cornell accused Mr. Taal of engaging in “escalating, egregious behavior,” he insisted there was not a thorough investigation. He claimed he was being punished because he is a Black, Muslim student. The university said it referred 19 individuals, not just Mr. Taal, for disciplinary action. Cornell also said it would be required by federal law to terminate Mr. Taal’s student visa if he was not allowed to enroll at the university due to disciplinary action. After two weeks with his ability to stay in the country at risk, sparking a liberal outcry, Cornell decided to let the graduate student remain as an enrolled student and keep his visa.

Anti-Israel Cornell Student Facing Deportation Again After Suing Trump

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