Defend Momodou Taal

March 23, 2025 – Federal agents are currently on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY attempting to detain UE Local 300-Cornell Graduate Students United member Momodou Taal. Taal is an international graduate worker and visa holder who was terminated from his employment and threatened with deportation by Cornell administrators last September without just cause.

Taal’s termination from Cornell last fall represents a disturbing pattern of university administrators’ acquiescence to pressures from the federal government to repress dissent and free speech on university campuses. At Cornell, like dozens of other universities, this manifests through the use of “interim" disciplinary measures that arbitrarily target marginalized workers. These disciplinary measures serve as a warning to others: those who express views that run contrary to universities’ financial interests will be punished – without due process or just cause. 

Workers across the country mobilized to prevent Taal’s deportation and demand just cause protections for graduate workers, with the understanding that Cornell’s unjust discipline was part of a broader pattern to unilaterally silence constitutionally-protected speech. Taal was never found responsible for any charge because his charges were never actually investigated. And yet, Taal was nearly deported by Cornell University’s own hand.

Months later, Taal has become a target for the federal government’s attempt to silence workers across the nation. It is impossible to separate Cornell’s arbitrary disciplining of Taal in September from the federal administration’s attempts to detain and deport him now. If Taal is detained, it will solidify a chilling precedent that any worker in higher education can be targeted by the government for speaking out on any issue. While the current attacks on universities are primarily targeting pro-Palestinian activists, recent cuts in funding to federal agencies and universities make clear that suppression of free speech will not stop there. 

If the federal government is allowed to come for Taal, they will be further emboldened to come for anyone else who threatens their agenda, including those who speak up for sane climate policies, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, a fair economy, and workers’ rights. 

As unions representing tens of thousands of higher education workers, we demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately cease its persecution of Momodou Taal. We call on all workers in higher education to close ranks to defend our right to teach, research, and speak up on any issue without being targeted by the government.

Taal recently sued President Trump, challenging the constitutionality of his executive orders targeting students for exercising their First and Fifth Amendment rights. A court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for 2pm on Tuesday, March 25th in Syracuse, NY. We encourage supporters to attend the hearing to stand up for free speech and due process. Please contact bc@cornellgradunion.org for additional details.

Signatories

United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE)

UE Local 300 – Cornell Graduate Students United Bargaining Committee

UE Local 1043 – Stanford Graduate Workers Union Executive Board

UE Local 1103 – Graduate Students United at the University of Chicago Executive Board

UE Local 1105 – University of Minnesota Graduate Labor Union Executive Board

UE Local 1122 – Northwestern University Graduate Workers Executive Board

UE Local 1466 – United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico Executive Board

UE Local 1498 – Graduate Workers United at New Mexico State University Executive Board

UE Local 150 – The Workers Union at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 

UE Local 197 – Teachers and Researchers United at Johns Hopkins University Elected Custodians

UE Local 256 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate Student Union

UE Local 896 – Campaign to Organize Graduate Students at the University of Iowa