AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: Cornell University students navigate school amid classmate’s legal battle
Grace Bartels: A Cornell University graduate student voluntarily left the U.S. following the government requesting his surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement. On March 15, student Momodou Taal, filed a lawsuit arguing two national-security related executive orders violated his constitutional rights.
Bartels: Another Cornell student, Myesha Alam, would typically be more involved in campus activism. But lately, (she) has chosen to be more careful about what she engages in after seeing what’s happening to Taal.
Myesha Alam: I’m very cautious about participating in events or protests because of all like the disciplinary actions students have faced and I know that like, other students feel the same way as me too.
Bartels: But while some Cornell students feel directly impacted by the political situation, others are just focused on their studies, including one student whose voice has been changed to protect his identity.
Anonymous: I’ve kind of just been focusing on my education and, you know, I’m not personally invested in either side.
Bartels: Taal officially dropped his lawsuit against the Trump administration while choosing to self-deport on April 1. Grace Bartels, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Cornell University graduate student Momodou Taal voluntarily left the U.S. two weeks after the government requested he surrender to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Taal and others filed the suit against the Trump Administration on March 15, stating that the two national security-related executive orders are in violation of their First and Fifth Amendment rights. The orders have been said to particularly target pro-Palestine protesting students.
Taal’s student visa was repealed on March 14, and seven days later, was asked to surrender to ICE. The grad student then attempted to file a temporary restraining order to hold off the threat of deportation.
The restraining order was denied by a Syracuse judge while supporters continued rallying around Taal and his ongoing proceedings.
Cornell University previously had freedom of speech as a theme of the year, but students like Myesha Alam are feeling hesitant to participate in campus activism after seeing the repercussions Taal is facing.
“I’m very cautious about participating in events or protests because of all like the disciplinary actions students have faced and I know that other students feel the same way as me too,” Alam said.
While some students are aware of the grad students situation, but others, like this student who preferred to remain anonymous, aren’t as involved in the situation at hand.
“I’ve kind of just been focusing on my education and, you know, I’m not personally invested in either side.” A student from Cornell University said.
Taal dropped his suit against the Trump Administration as of April 1, when he chose to self-deport.