
Columbia and Cornell Students Sue Over Deportation Threats Amid Pro-Palestinian Activism
In a series of legal actions, students from Columbia University and Cornell University are challenging the Trump administration's alleged attempts to deport them due to their pro-Palestinian activism. Yunseo Chung, a Columbia student, claims that her visa was revoked after participating in campus protests, a move she describes as retaliatory and politically motivated. Similarly, Mahmoud Khalil Taal, a student at Cornell, alongside Momodou Taal, are suing over their detention and threats of deportation, which they argue are in direct response to their advocacy for Palestinian rights.
The lawsuits highlight a contentious intersection of immigration policy and free speech on American campuses. The students' legal teams argue that these actions by the government not only infringe upon their rights to free expression but also set a dangerous precedent for international students involved in political activism. The cases are drawing attention from civil rights groups and are likely to have broader implications for how universities manage protests and international student participation in political discourse.