A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked the detention of Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student, amid her fight against deportation.
Chung, a 21-year-old permanent US resident, was targeted by immigration authorities due to her involvement in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Her lawyers filed an emergency motion Monday, arguing that the government’s actions violated her constitutional rights to free speech.
“The government’s actions are an unprecedented and unjustifiable assault on First Amendment and other rights, one that cannot stand basic legal scrutiny,” the lawsuit said.
US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald’s temporary restraining order issued Tuesday blocks the government from detaining Chung in her immigration case, as stated in the court order, according to NBC News.
The legal team, which includes organizations such as CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility), Human Rights First and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, argues that Chung is being unfairly targeted because of her political views, particularly her support for Palestinian rights.
Chung, who is originally from South Korea, has lived in the US with her family since she was seven. According to the lawsuit, immigration officials issued an administrative arrest warrant for her on March 8, the same day Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil was detained.
Her attorneys argue that the government’s attempt to revoke her permanent resident status is part of a broader pattern of targeting activists advocating for Palestinian causes. This case comes amid the Trump administration’s widespread crackdown on pro-Palestinian students and academics, including Khalil and Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri.
The Trump administration has accused Khalil and other pro-Palestinian students of engaging in “activities aligned with Hamas,” though no evidence has been provided.
“After the constant dread in the back of my mind over the past few weeks, this decision feels like a million pounds off of my chest” Chung said following the ruling.
Her legal team celebrated the temporary restraining order as a victory not only for her but also for the broader right to free speech.
“The court’s temporary restraining order is both sensible and fair, to preserve the status quo as we litigate the serious constitutional issues at stake not just for Yunseo, but for our society as a whole,” Ramzi Kassem, Co-Director of CLEAR, said in a statement.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment.