Overview

• U.S. District Judge William Young concluded the government’s removal efforts targeted political speech and sought to instill fear to suppress expression.
• He found actions by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio unconstitutionally focused on protesters’ viewpoints.
• The ruling rejects President Donald Trump’s argument that non-citizens do not share equivalent free‑speech rights under the First Amendment.
• The decision follows months of visa revocations, arrests and detention of foreign students and researchers tied to pro‑Palestinian demonstrations.
• Separate cases continue, including the government’s pursuit of alternate removal grounds in the high‑profile case of Palestinian activist Machmud Chalil.