Resolution Criteria
This market resolves to YES if Momodou Taal is physically removed from the United States as a result of deportation proceedings initiated by the Trump administration. The market resolves to NO if the Trump administration have been unsuccessful in deporting Taal by the end of Trump's term, if deportation proceedings are abandoned, or if a court permanently blocks his deportation.
Background
Momodou Taal is a Cornell University PhD student and dual citizen of the UK and Gambia. He has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging two executive orders that he believes infringe upon his First and Fifth Amendment rights. The Trump administration has requested that Taal surrender himself to ICE custody, which is widely seen as an attempt to deport him for his activism, particularly his pro-Palestinian views.
Taal's legal team has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent his arrest or deportation while his lawsuit is pending. The court is reviewing this request and has directed the federal government to clarify whether the executive orders are the basis for Taal's potential deportation.
Considerations
While international students have constitutional rights, immigration laws provide broad grounds for deportation. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for the deportation of noncitizens based on political speech. The success of deportation efforts will depend on several factors, including court rulings, potential appeals, and the practical implementation of any deportation orders.
AI generates description. I've done some edits.
1,000Part of me wants to resolve YES, since Trump’s actions ultimately resulted in Taal leaving the U.S.—even if not through formal deportation, the administration’s pressure and legal actions led to his departure. On the other hand, part of me wants to resolve NO, because Taal was not deported; he left voluntarily before the government could enforce removal. Notably, the judge denied Taal’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked the government from initiating deportation proceedings, stating that the court lacked jurisdiction and that Taal would have to challenge his removal in immigration court instead. After this legal setback, Taal chose to leave the country on his own, meaning we never got to see the entire process unfold. Given these conflicting interpretations and the unresolved legal process, I believe NA is the fairest and accurate resolution.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/politics/cornell-student-momodou-taal.html
He has left voluntarily, and was not physically removed.