Columbia student sues Trump admin over efforts to deport her
A Columbia University student has taken legal action against President Donald Trump and several top administration officials after they attempted to revoke her permanent resident status and forcibly remove her from the United States. The lawsuit was filed on Monday following Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) obtaining an administrative warrant for the arrest of 21-year-old Yunseo Chung and informing her that her status was being “revoked.”
The lawsuit alleges that the actions taken by the administration are part of a broader pattern of government repression aimed at stifling constitutionally protected protest activity. Specifically, the suit claims that the government has targeted university students who speak out in support of Palestinians and criticize the Israeli government’s military campaign in Gaza, as well as the pro-Israeli policies of the U.S. government and other institutions.
Named in the lawsuit are President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons, and Acting Field Office Director of New York ICE William Joyce. The suit argues that the government’s actions represent an unprecedented and unjustifiable assault on First Amendment rights and other legal protections, asserting that immigration enforcement should not be wielded as a tool to punish noncitizen speakers with dissenting political views.
Chung, a junior at Columbia University and a South Korean native, is described in the lawsuit as a high-achieving student with a 3.99 GPA who arrived in the U.S. legally during her father’s graduate studies. While she has been involved in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, she has not held a high-profile position like Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student facing deportation. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing by the university in disciplinary proceedings related to her protest activities, ICE began targeting Chung shortly after her involvement in a protest on March 5.
A federal court issued a temporary restraining order against ICE on Tuesday, preventing the agency from arresting and deporting Chung. The court will determine the expiration of the order through further legal proceedings. The lawsuit argues that the government is infringing on Chung’s freedom of speech by attempting to revoke her status on the grounds that her political views pose a threat to foreign policy.
In response to the lawsuit, a senior Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that Chung had engaged in concerning conduct but would have the opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit is said to be investigating individuals involved in activities supporting Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, with potential visa revocation or other immigration status impacts based on investigative findings.
Fox News Digital reached out to Chung’s lawyer, Naz Ahmad, the White House, and ICE for comment. The lawsuit represents a significant legal battle over the government’s use of immigration enforcement to suppress dissenting political views, particularly on college campuses. It remains to be seen how the case will unfold and what implications it may have for the broader landscape of free speech and immigration policy in the United States.
