Overview
- A federal judge in Boston ordered the government to halt arrests, detentions, or immigration status changes against plaintiffs in the First Amendment lawsuit absent a legitimate non-retaliatory basis.
- The court will presume any action against the plaintiffs is retaliatory for protected speech unless the administration proves otherwise with clear, case-specific evidence.
- Unsealed memos show State Department officials anticipated First Amendment scrutiny and documented scant evidence tying targeted students to antisemitism or terrorist groups, with some actions requiring the secretary’s personal determination.
- Government files list Mahmoud Khalil, Rümeysa Öztürk, Mohsen Mahdawi, Yunseo Chung, and Badar Khan Suri, including a memo noting Öztürk’s campus op-ed as the sole basis for her visa revocation.
- None of the five is currently detained as they contest deportation orders, and the administration is expected to appeal the judge’s rulings.