The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to deport international students and scholars who support Palestinian rights.
The lawsuit seeks a nationwide temporary restraining order to block enforcement of two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year.
The action follows the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old permanent U.S. resident of Palestinian descent and a Columbia University student. His arrest sparked protests this month.
The Justice Department claims that Khalil’s activities could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences,” prompting the government to seek his removal.
Trump has vowed to deport activists involved in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, following an attack by Palestinian militants in October 2023.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision to revoke visas, stating that such actions are contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests.
The ADC lawsuit was filed on behalf of three Cornell University individuals: two graduate students and a professor. They claim that their activism in support of Palestinian rights puts them at risk of political persecution.
Abed Ayoub, ADC’s national executive director, emphasized that the lawsuit is necessary to protect constitutional rights, including freedom of speech.
Chris Godshall-Bennett, the group’s legal director, noted that the litigation seeks immediate relief to protect international students from unconstitutional actions that stifle free expression and deter them from participating in academic and public discourse.
The lawsuit centers on three Cornell University plaintiffs: a British-Gambian PhD student on a student visa, a U.S. citizen PhD student in plant science, and a U.S. citizen novelist and professor.
The ADC argues that the Trump administration’s actions violate the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression to all individuals in the United States.
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