Daily Times

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit challenges the deportation of international students and scholars supporting Palestinian rights. It seeks a nationwide temporary restraining order to block two executive orders signed by President Trump recently.

This lawsuit follows the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University student of Palestinian descent. His arrest sparked protests, raising concerns about political persecution. Justice Department lawyers claim that Khalil’s activities could harm U.S. foreign policy. They announced plans to revoke more visas for students soon.

Trump promised to deport activists protesting against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported this decision, stating that such activism contradicts U.S. interests. He emphasized that if students apply for visas to participate in pro-Hamas events, they would not be issued visas.

The ADC lawsuit represents three plaintiffs from Cornell University. These include a British-Gambian PhD student, a U.S. citizen PhD student, and a U.S. citizen professor. They argue their support for Palestine puts them at risk of persecution. The ADC believes this lawsuit is crucial to protect First Amendment rights for all individuals in the U.S.