Judge temporarily blocks Trump admin from deporting South Korean Columbia student
A federal judge Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from deporting a Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the school.
Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old junior and lawful permanent resident, filed a legal challenge one day earlier over efforts by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport her, which so far have been unsuccessful.
U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald agreed to Chung’s request to temporarily block the Trump administration from detaining or moving her out of New York until the court can more fully consider her arguments. Buchwald is an appointee of former President Clinton.
Chung has lived in the United States since she moved from South Korea at age 7. She says ICE has looked for her at her parents’ house and executed a search warrant at her college dormitory, claiming the effort amounts to unconstitutional retaliation in violation of the First Amendment, among other claims.
Immigration authorities have sought to detain Chung under the same provision used to justify detaining Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student who played a more prominent role by leading some of the pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the school.
The provision makes someone deportable if the secretary of State reasonably believes their continued presence in the country “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”
Buchwald’s order also requires the government to provide “sufficient advance notice” if they attempt to justify detaining Chung under another provision.
The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
“The government’s actions are an unprecedented and unjustifiable assault on First Amendment and other rights, one that cannot stand basic legal scrutiny,” Chung’s lawyers wrote in court filings.
“Simply put, immigration enforcement—here, immigration detention and threatened deportation—may not be used as a tool to punish noncitizen speakers who express political views disfavored by the current administration,” they continued.
Chung is represented by multiple law firms, the City University of New York’s CLEAR Project, Human Rights First and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.
-
Judge blocks Trump admin. from deporting another Columbia student
Lawyers for Yunseo Chung, who came to the U.S. with her family from South Korea at the age of 7, filed a lawsuit seeking to block her arrest and deportation.CBS News - 15h -
Judge rules Columbia protester can’t be detained as she fights deportation
White House blocked from deporting Yunseo Chung, green card holder and student who sued Trump administration. A federal judge in Manhattan blocked immigration officials from detaining Yunseo Chung, ...The Guardian - 13h -
Columbia student sues Trump admin over efforts to deport her
Columbia University student Yunseo Chung is suing the Trump administration amid its efforts to deport the 21-year-old, who has been in the U.S. since she was 7 and has lawful permanent resident ...The Hill - 1d -
Judge temporarily blocks deportation of Georgetown University researcher
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of a Georgetown University researcher, after the Trump administration attempted to remove him from the country. The Department of Homeland ...NBC News - 5d -
Judge Orders U.S. to Stop Attempts to Deport Columbia Undergraduate
The administration has been seeking to arrest and deport Yunseo Chung, who immigrated from South Korea as a child, after she participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.The New York Times - 14h -
Why a judge blocked a pro-Palestinian activist's deportation
A judge temporarily blocked the deportation proceedings for Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead the 2024 student encampment protests at Columbia University in New York City. ...CBS News - Mar. 11 -
Columbia student protester sues Trump administration for trying to deport her
Yunseo Chung, who partook in university’s pro-Palestinian protests, called government’s actions ‘shocking overreach’. A Columbia University student who took part in pro-Palestinian protests at the ...The Guardian - 1d -
Palestinian activist who led student protests at Columbia faces deportation
Over the weekend, Columbia University grad Mahmoud Khalil was arrested and is facing deportation. He is a green card holder, but the Trump administration says the arrest stems from his involvement ...CBS News - Mar. 10 -
Protests grow over Columbia University pro-Palestinian activist's arrest
A judge is slamming the brakes on the Trump administration's attempt to deport a pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University's 2024 student encampment protests.CBS News - Mar. 10
More from The Hill
-
Trump could be pushing South Africa closer to China
On Feb. 7, Trump issued the executive order “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.”The Hill - 48m -
Congress continues to seek answers on UFOs
UFO whistleblower David Grusch will be advising Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison on the issue.The Hill - 1h -
'Like a forest fire': Where large measles outbreaks will occur, according to an epidemiologist
"What is interesting about this current outbreak is the speed at which it's expanding and increasing," said Dr. William Moss, an epidemiology professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of ...The Hill - 1h -
Study links Wegovy to increased hair loss risk
Researchers assessed data from 16 million patients from 2006 to 2020 taking semaglutide-based drugs; the active ingredient in Wegovy.The Hill - 1h -
How Trump is finding workarounds to legal hurdles
There’s a theme emerging in the Trump administration’s battles in courtrooms across the country contesting an array of executive actions facing litigation. As the saying goes, if you can’t go ...The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Trump signs order requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Tuesday that would require people to prove their citizenship when they register to vote by providing a United States passport or another ...NBC News - 34m -
Trump could be pushing South Africa closer to China
On Feb. 7, Trump issued the executive order “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.”The Hill - 48m -
Congress continues to seek answers on UFOs
UFO whistleblower David Grusch will be advising Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison on the issue.The Hill - 1h -
'Like a forest fire': Where large measles outbreaks will occur, according to an epidemiologist
"What is interesting about this current outbreak is the speed at which it's expanding and increasing," said Dr. William Moss, an epidemiology professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of ...The Hill - 1h -
Study links Wegovy to increased hair loss risk
Researchers assessed data from 16 million patients from 2006 to 2020 taking semaglutide-based drugs; the active ingredient in Wegovy.The Hill - 1h