WATCH: A Cornell Graduate Student Faces Deportation After a Pro-Palestine Action

On Monday, September 23, 2024, Cornell University’s office of student conduct and community standards informed graduate student and student worker Momodou Taal that his presence at a pro-Palestine action on Wednesday, September 18. This disciplinary action would result in Taal’s second suspension—the first coming last year, after violating new university policies — and would likely result in Taal having to leave the country.

The morning after Taal became aware of the disciplinary action, Striking Distance interviewed him, yards away from Cornell’s campus, to hear his side of the story—the video can be viewed above. Taal is a Black, Muslim international student, and seems to be the first targeted by the university after the protest action.

In addition to this video, the founder and editor of Striking Distance, Aaron Fernando, wrote a piece for The Nation on Cornell Univeristy’s disciplinary actions against Taal, and what that could mean for Taal’s ability to remain in the United States.

To read the piece in The Nation, visit:
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cornell-graduate-student-deportation-palestine-protest/

The piece was published on Wednesday, and in following days, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, The New Republic, Democracy Now! and others had reported on the issue. By Friday, September 27, U.S. senator Bernie Sanders had quote tweeted the article in The Nation on X, calling on Cornell to “reverse course immediately.”