Judge deals blow to Trump moves to deport pro-Palestinian activists
Judge Noël Wise found the government used immigration law to punish protected campus speech, citing a chilling effect on student journalists.
- On Friday, U.S. District Judge Noel Wise ruled that the Trump administration violated the Constitution by using immigration laws to deport students critical of Israeli policies in Gaza.
- The Stanford Daily and two international students sued the administration in August 2025, claiming federal officials weaponized the Immigration and Nationality Act to revoke visas for protected speech.
- Court documents reveal the newspaper's coverage suffered a "chilling effect," with more than 150 members declining to cover protests or the war in Gaza for fear of deportation.
- Editor-in-Chief George Porteous celebrated the ruling, stating "Today's victory means they won't have to" fear deportation, while FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick called free speech an inalienable right.
- Wise criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio's "standardless" enforcement of visa revocations, noting the government cannot punish citizens or noncitizens simply because officials dislike their protected political speech.
31 Articles
31 Articles
In regulating visas, the U.S. government has suffered defeat before a federal court.
Judge: Noncitizens Can’t Be Deported For Free Speech
Courthouse News reports: A federal judge in San Francisco warned on Friday that the Trump administration’s efforts to punish international students for speech critical of the government threaten the constitutional freedoms of anyone in the United States who dares to say something officials don’t like. In a 90-page decision, U.S. District Judge Noël Wise ruled … The post Judge: Noncitizens Can’t Be Deported For Free Speech appeared first on Joe.M…
Because of their criticism of Israel or solidarity with Palestine, the Trump administration deprived some students of their visas. A federal judge now states: The legal basis had shortcomings.
Judge Rules Trump Deportation Effort Against Pro-Palestinian Activists Unconstitutional
San Jose, California — A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration violated the Constitution by using immigration laws to revoke visas and pursue deportation of noncitizen students based on protected pro-Palestinian speech. U.S. District Judge Noel Wise found that provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act were unconstitutional when applied to people targeted because of their political expression. The case was brought by Th…
Judge strikes down Trump visa policy targeting foreign pro-Palestinian university students
The judge said that in the United States, free speech, including the freedom to criticize the government and its leaders, was evidence of the strength of the country's democracy.
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