Policies & Analysis

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian recent graduate of Columbia University who had led negotiations on behalf of pro-Palestine protestors on the Columbia campus in spring 2024, was arrested by federal immigration enforcement. Khalil's student visa and green card establishing permanent residence had been revoked, even though permanent residents are entitled to due process before any revocation of their status. Khalil’s attorneys filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and argued that ICE’s arrest and detention of Khalil on the basis of his speech and activism violated the Due Process Clause and the First Amendment. On March 19, 2025, the case was transferred from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (1:25-cv-01935).

The Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation and two student journalists have sued Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem over the Trump administration's actions targeting students and university organizations that criticize Israel or express support for Palestinian rights. The Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation is a non-profit corporation that operates _The Stanford Daily_, the Stanford University student newspaper. The two individual plaintiffs in this case are student journalists who are present in the U.S. legally and have published pro-Palestinian articles. These students fear deportation based on their pro-Palestinian views. President Trump has repeatedly threatened to deport university students who protest the genocide of Palestinians or express criticism of Israel, and has acted on these threats upon returning to office. The plaintiffs argued that the targeting and deportation of students based on their ideology or political expression violates their First Amendment right to freedom of expression as well as their Fifth Amendment right to due process. The plaintiffs requested that the court declare the deportation of students based on their political beliefs unlawful and issue an injunction preventing further targeting of students for engaging in protected speech.

A coalition representing professors and teachers has sued the Trump administration for cutting off $400 million in federal funding for crucial public health research in an attempt to coerce Columbia University into complying with restrictive speech codes regarding campus protests. The plaintiffs argue that the action is a coercive tactic that, not only undermines academic independence, but also stops vital scientific research that contributes to the health of Americans. In addition, the plaintiffs argue that the action violates the First Amendment, the separation of powers, and other constitutional provisions.

This case involves Mohsen Mahdawi, a lawful permanent resident detained by the Department of Homeland Security during a naturalization interview. Mahdawi, a recent Columbia University undergraduate and incoming graduate student, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention. He alleges the detention is part of a broader administration policy targeting noncitizens for speech critical of Israel, formalized through Executive Orders 14161 and 14188 and operationalized via discretionary “Rubio Determinations.” Mahdawi sought immediate release and raised claims under the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the non-delegation doctrine.