Trial Begins Over Trump Admin’s Deportations of Pro-Palestinian Students

Contact Your Elected Officials

The judge seemed concerned about how to harmonize immigration enforcement with the First Amendment.

BOSTON—A trial over President Donald Trump’s attempts to deport pro-Palestinian activists began on July 7 with attorneys debating whether the administration was chilling free speech by attempting to punish dissenting views.

Academic associations had sued, alleging that Trump had violated the First Amendment and due process through a policy of deporting individuals based on their ideology.

Ramay Krishnan, an attorney for the academic groups, compared Trump’s agenda to the McCarthy era and described a “cloud of fear” coming over university communities.

The somewhat unusual civil trial came after weeks of controversy over immigration authorities arresting individuals like Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist who led campus protests in the wake of Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Khalil is a permanent U.S. resident.

His case and that of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), were mentioned by two noncitizen university professors who said during testimony that those arrests made them fearful they might face backlash over their advocacy.

During opening arguments, Justice Department attorney Victoria Santora denied the administration had implemented a new policy and said that federal authorities had wide discretion in removing noncitizens.

She also argued the federal government had a legitimate interest in combating anti-Semitism, which has become a growing concern as the Israeli-Hamas conflict worsened after the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Early in his second term, Trump signed two executive orders that the groups said served as the basis for an alleged “ideological-deportation policy.”

One, signed on Inauguration Day, establishes a policy of protecting U.S. citizens “from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.”

It also directs the Homeland Security secretary to take steps to remove noncitizens from certain countries if there is reason to do so.

Another order from January broadly aims to combat anti-Semitism and targets campus-related fallout in the United States from the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The case is undergoing a bench trial, which means the judge is expected to make a final decision without a jury.

By Sam Dorman

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Wicked Right

I recently watched the movie Wicked and wasn't surprised by how transparent and utterly progressive it was intended to be.

Will humanity be the victim of technological change or the master of its fate in 2026?

It's often debated whether history is primarily shaped by influential individuals, social structures, or technological innovation.

California’s FireAid Funds Missing?

The problem is some of the people involved with these charities, handling the donation money behind the scenes, are not so good.

Cottage Industry Pops Up to Service Soaring Government-Assisted Suicide Demand

1 in 20 deaths in Canada is the result of government-assisted suicide, or MAiD, and doctors are putting on conferences to share and promote business.

 A Painful Admission for Conservatives: Must the Culture War End?

Francis Fukuyama believed the market system won the economic argument, however if you go to any university, you can see that socialism isn't dead.

Exclusive—Peter Navarro: Time to Investigate the FBI Agent Who Tried to Take Down Trump And Me

They call Walter Giardina a Marine hero. The media portrayed him as a martyr in FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent “purge” of politicized FBI agents.

Venezuela’s Maduro Mobilizes 4.5 Million Militia Members

President Maduro has announced a “special security plan” to activate loyal militia forces around his country amid growing tensions with the US.

Federal Judge Rules Anti-DEI Directive for Schools Is Illegal

Judge Gallagher ruled that the DOE anti-DEI directive for schools Is Illegal as the DOE failed to follow procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act.

Texas Court Dismisses Challenge Against State Law Limiting Chinese Ownership of Properties

A federal court on Monday dismissed a challenge against a new Texas law that will restrict the ownership of properties by Chinese individuals or entities.

Trump Buys $100 Million in Bonds Since Return to White House

President Donald Trump has been an active investor in the bond market since returning to the White House in January.

Interviews to Replace Fed Chairman to Start After Labor Day, Bessent Says

Potential candidate interviews for the post of the new Federal Reserve chairman will be happening soon, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

Trump Orders Review of ‘Woke’ Content in US Museums

President Donald Trump has instructed legal experts to review “woke” installations in museums nationwide.

Trump Administration Fires 37 Intel Officials, Revokes Security Clearances for ‘Politicizing Intelligence’

Security clearances and govt. employment for 37 current and former intel community officials were being terminated for “politicizing and manipulating intelligence”.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central