Criminalization of Pro-Palestinian Activism

The podcast highlights the case of Mamadou Tal, a dual citizen of the UK and Gambia, who faced deportation after participating in pro-Palestinian protests at Cornell University. Although he was initially suspended from his Ph.D. program, public protests led to his re-enrollment; however, despite this victory, he remains in a precarious situation due to a lawsuit challenging Trump administration executive orders. His case is emblematic of how political dissent related to Palestine is increasingly met with severe repercussions, including deportation threats, particularly against foreign students. Tal argues that this escalating crackdown not only targets him but represents a broader attack on free speech and academic freedom in opposition to U.S. foreign policy.