Judge blocks Trump administration’s effort to deport Columbia student protester

A federal judge has stepped in to block the Trump administration from detaining Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student and lawful permanent resident, amid fears of deportation. Chung, originally from South Korea, has been living in the U.S. since she was seven years old. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had attempted to arrest her in March following her participation in an anti-Israel demonstration earlier this year.

U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday, preventing ICE from taking Chung into custody. The ruling also prohibits ICE from detaining Chung without prior approval and requires a 72-hour notice to her lawyers and the court should any detention attempt be made.

Ramzi Kassem, co-director of CLEAR, a legal nonprofit at City University of New York representing Chung, hailed the ruling as a victory for freedom of speech and the rule of law. He emphasized that the government’s pursuit of Chung is an unjustifiable assault on the First Amendment.

Chung’s lawsuit against the government asserts that her involvement in the anti-Israel protests was as a participant, not a leader. The lawsuit highlights that she visited the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on campus but did not engage in any public statements or high-profile activities. While she was later arrested during a protest at Barnard College in 2025, the charges were reportedly dropped or dismissed, as is common practice in New York City.

The Trump administration’s allegations that Chung’s participation in the protests poses a foreign policy risk for the U.S. have been met with resistance. Chung’s attorneys argue that the government’s actions are unwarranted and that law enforcement’s attempts to arrest her, including the search of her dorm room, are unjust.

Chung, a high-achieving student double-majoring in English and women’s and gender studies at Columbia University, has been described as a model student with a near-perfect GPA. The court has ruled that she remains free while her legal case progresses.

The case has drawn parallels to the administration’s efforts to deport former Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, accused of playing a significant role in anti-Israel protests at the university. The legal battle surrounding Chung’s deportation serves as a testament to the ongoing struggle for freedom of speech and justice in the face of government intervention.