Overview

• A federal court in Boston held that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio acted in concert to target noncitizen pro‑Palestinian advocates for deportation based on protected political speech.
• Judge William G. Young’s 161-page opinion resolves liability only, with a separate phase to determine remedies that could include limits on speech-linked immigration enforcement.
• The case, brought in March by the AAUP and MESA after the arrest of Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, revealed investigators reviewed more than 5,000 names—many drawn from Canary Mission—and produced roughly 200 reports.
• The administration canceled hundreds of visas and carried out high-profile arrests, including Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk; the Justice Department denies any ideological policy and says actions were taken for national security and to protect Jewish students.
• Separate appeals continue in the Second Circuit over Öztürk’s and Mohsen Mahdawi’s releases, with Judge Steven Menashi having previously signaled support for the government’s jurisdictional arguments.