A Cornell University student facing deportation after his visa was revoked because of his campus activism said he decided to leave the United States.
Momodou Taal, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Gambia, had asked a federal court to halt his detention. But he posted on X late Monday that he didn’t believe a legal ruling in his favor would guarantee his safety or ability to speak out.
“I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted,” Momodou Taal wrote from an unknown location. “Weighing up these options, I took the decision to leave on my own terms.”
UK here. Proud of our UK, Gambian citizen that he understands what’s at stake for him personally. There’s no point in being abducted and disappeared without trace, get the hell out of there if you’re at risk as many of the persecuted did when Hitler was doing the same in Germany.
The brain drain’s already begun. The “soul drain” is probably (and should be) next. Staying is investing in the country. You will pay with your taxes and more and more freedoms in exchange for the chance to die working.
It’s not easy for just anyone to emigrate. I would have left the US years ago if it was.
Yeah, immigration laws in other countries are very difficult. The US’s immigration policies are vastly easier, even with the politics and bureaucratic hurdles, quotas and lotteries, because there are at least legal pathways for people without tens of millions of dollars. If I wanted to become a citizen in any other first world country it basically can’t be done. I could get a permanent visa in some of those countries because of my education and profession - but never citizenship.
Now some of those countries may be opening up their citizenship process to take advantage of the brain drain. The US is going to lose so much more than just money. It’s truly heart breaking.
You still pay some tax to the US when you work abroad
Only if you plan on ever coming back