Overview
- U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick issued a temporary restraining order barring authorities from arresting, detaining, transferring, or deporting Imran Ahmed until the court reviews the case.
- Ahmed, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, sued to challenge visa-based actions he says threaten unlawful removal, alleging violations of free speech and due process.
- The State Department recently imposed visa restrictions on five Europeans, including former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index, and HateAid leaders Josephine Ballon and Anna‑Lena von Hodenberg.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the targeted figures pressured U.S. platforms to censor or suppress American viewpoints, and officials signaled the policy could extend to others.
- Ahmed is a lawful U.S. resident living in Washington, D.C., with his American wife and daughter, and he has previously clashed with major platform owners over research on hate and disinformation.