Federal Judge Dismisses DeSantis and Upholds Student Group's First Amendment Rights

A federal judge ruled that Florida officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis, cannot enforce a deactivation order against pro-Palestinian student groups, affirming their First Amendment rights.

A federal judge dismissed Governor Ron DeSantis as a defendant in lawsuits filed by pro-Palestinian student groups, affirming their First Amendment rights.
The judge rejected the request for preliminary injunctions to dismantle the student groups, stating no imminent actions were taken against them.
The lawsuits were in response to efforts to disband the groups, citing a memo that linked them to a national organization supporting Hamas.
The court found no evidence of self-censorship among the student groups' members, despite claims of a chilling effect on their speech.
The ruling signals to Florida officials that attempts to enforce the deactivation order could lead to further legal action to uphold the students' First Amendment rights.