Overview
- U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick granted a temporary restraining order blocking the arrest, detention, or transfer of Imran Ahmed while his case proceeds.
- Ahmed, a British citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident who leads the Center for Countering Digital Hate, sued officials after the State Department imposed visa sanctions.
- The administration restricted visas for five Europeans, including Thierry Breton, Clare Melford, Josephine Ballon, and Anna‑Lena von Hodenberg, citing efforts to pressure U.S. platforms to censor American viewpoints.
- Ahmed’s lawsuit alleges unconstitutional retaliation and violations of free‑speech and due‑process rights, arguing immigration tools are being used to punish protected advocacy.
- The other four Europeans remain barred from entry, and the dispute ties into transatlantic tensions over platform regulation and past clashes between CCDH and X, which unsuccessfully sued the group in 2023.