Federal Judge Rebukes Trump Administration Over Deportation Tactics

In a 161-page opinion, Young condemned the administration’s use of immigration powers to suppress political expression, noting that the First Amendment makes no distinction between citizens and noncitizens. The ruling followed a lawsuit by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association, which challenged the State Department’s revocation of nearly 1,700 visas. Testimony revealed that the Department of Homeland Security relied on the Canary Mission, an anonymous pro-Israel website, to identify students for detention and removal.

Young highlighted the cases of Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk, both of whom faced detention after expressing pro-Palestinian views. The judge specifically denounced the use of masked ICE agents during arrests, labeling the practice as a dishonorable effort to terrorize the public. While he stopped short of ordering immediate policy changes, citing the need for further proceedings to address broader systemic abuses, Young issued a stark warning to American institutions. He criticized universities and media outlets for failing to resist the administration's overreach, cautioning that the Constitution does not enforce itself without active defense from the people and the courts.