Trump violating First and Fifth Amendments by deporting protesters and 'impermissibly restricting speech'
Source: Law & Crime
Mar 16th, 2025, 6:53 pm
The Trump administration has “unconstitutionally silenced” people living in the United States from “speaking, hearing, or engaging with viewpoints critical of the U.S. government” through deportation and other means, says a new lawsuit from a Cornell University professor and two students, which points to the detainment and attempted deportation of a “pro-Palestinian” protester at Columbia University earlier this month as an example.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), along with co-counsel, is suing President Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of the Cornell professor and two graduate students at the New York college for what they say is a “campaign” being waged against free speech through executive orders (EOs) issued by Trump and carried out by his administration, “particularly as it targets international students and scholars who protest or express support for Palestinian rights,” according to a Sunday statement from ADC officials.
As a result, the plaintiffs claim they “fear government retaliation for engaging in constitutionally protected expression critical of U.S. foreign policy and supportive of Palestinian human rights.” This includes ceasing interactions with one another in public and isolating themselves, “fearing that their associations may draw scrutiny” and various punishments, their lawsuit says, including deportation and criminal prosecution. The ADC filed its complaint Saturday and a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to block the enforcement of two Trump EOs — “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats” (Executive Order 14161) and “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism” (Executive Order 14188).
“The unprecedented and sweeping character of these Orders — coupled with the threat of imminent enforcement — has unconstitutionally silenced Plaintiffs and chilled protected expression, prohibiting them from speaking, hearing, or engaging with viewpoints critical of the U.S. government or the government of Israel, under threat of criminal prosecution or deportation,” the ADC’s complaint said. “These Orders violate the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and must be enjoined, at least in part. … The chilling effect is already being felt by both citizens and noncitizens.”
Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/unconstitutionally-silenced-trump-violating-first-and-fifth-amendments-by-deporting-protesters-and-impermissibly-restricting-speech-based-on-critical-viewpoints-suit-says/
Full headline: ‘Unconstitutionally silenced’: Trump violating First and Fifth Amendments by deporting protesters and ‘impermissibly restricting speech’ based on critical viewpoints, suit says
Link to ADC PRESS RELEASE - Historic Lawsuit Filed by ADC and Partners Challenging Attack on Free Speech; National Injunction Demanded
Link to SUIT (PDF) - https://adc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Complaint.pdf
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