"Federal government officials targeted and arrested international students for First Amendment-protected activity last year, despite internal concerns about the legality of such efforts, newly unsealed court documents show. Dossiers and summaries compiled by government officials used to justify legal action against international students targeted by the Department of Homeland Security do not include allegations of criminality but instead focus on their participation in pro-Palestinian protests."
"While a judge ruled against the federal government last fall, documents unsealed on Thursday offer new insights into the case. That same day, U.S. District Judge William Young also ruled that the Trump administration's policy of targeting international students and faculty members for their activism was unlawful and in violation of the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, and he imposed limits on how the federal government may pursue related immigration actions."
Government officials compiled dossiers and summaries that justified legal action against international students based on participation in pro-Palestinian protests rather than allegations of criminal conduct. Arrests and immigration actions targeted students and scholars for First Amendment-protected speech, with DHS officials labeling pro-Palestinian protests antisemitic and arguing activists threatened U.S. foreign policy. Internal records expressed concerns about the legality of those efforts. U.S. District Judge William Young ruled the policy of targeting international students and faculty for activism violated the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, and he imposed limits on how immigration enforcement may proceed in such cases. Named targets included current students and a postdoctoral fellow.
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