The U.S. State Department has revoked the visa of Momodou Taal, dual British and Gambian national and Cornell University graduate student who has openly called for the destruction of the United States and praised Hamas’s terrorism. The decision, confirmed by a State Department official to the Washington Free Beacon, comes as part of President Donald Trump’s broader pledge to crack down on foreign nationals who exploit their presence in the U.S. to promote radical ideologies.

Taal, who entered the country in 2022 on an F-1 student visa to pursue a PhD in African Studies, has been a vocal figure in anti-American and pro-Palestinian activism on Cornell’s campus. His statements, including celebrating Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and declaring that he takes his “cue from the armed resistance in Palestine,” have drawn sharp criticism from conservative watchdog groups and lawmakers alike.

“President Trump promised to deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our campuses safe again, and he’s delivering,” said a senior administration official. “This isn’t about silencing free speech—it’s about ensuring that those who come to our country on a privilege, not a right, don’t use it to undermine our nation or glorify terrorism.”

Taal’s visa revocation follows his repeated involvement in disruptive protests at Cornell, including a demonstration last year that shut down a career fair over the presence of weapons manufacturers. His actions led to multiple suspensions by the university, though Cornell later reinstated him under pressure from activist groups. Critics argue that such leniency from elite institutions has emboldened radicals like Taal, necessitating federal intervention.

The Trump administration’s move aligns with existing immigration law, which allows for the denial or revocation of visas for individuals who endorse or support terrorist activity. Federal statutes, including the Immigration and Nationality Act, grant the government broad authority to remove noncitizens deemed “inadmissible” due to their actions or affiliations. Supporters of the decision point to this legal framework as a clear justification, noting that Taal’s public statements—such as calling “every single Zionist a sick sick individual”—crossed a line from protected speech into incitement and support for designated terror groups like Hamas.

The revocation has sparked predictable outrage from progressive circles, with Taal’s legal team filing a lawsuit against the administration earlier this week, claiming the action violates his First Amendment rights. The suit, backed by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, argues that Trump’s executive orders targeting pro-Palestinian activists are unconstitutional. However, legal experts supportive of the administration counter that the First Amendment does not extend to foreign nationals on temporary visas, and the government retains full discretion over who is allowed to remain in the country.

“Foreign students don’t get a free pass to advocate for America’s destruction,” said John Carter, a constitutional law professor at Liberty University. “The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the executive’s authority over immigration. This is a privilege, not an entitlement.”

Taal’s lawyers confirmed that the Department of Justice has requested he surrender to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Syracuse, New York, for deportation proceedings—an order delivered via an early-morning email today. The timing has fueled accusations from Taal’s supporters that the administration is attempting to preempt his legal challenge. Yet, for many conservatives, this is precisely the kind of no-nonsense approach they elected Trump to deliver.

The broader context of this action reflects Trump’s campaign promise to address what he called an “explosion of antisemitism and radicalism” on college campuses. Since taking office in January, he has signed executive orders aimed at rooting out foreign nationals who “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, and government.”

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