A federal judge has halted the U.S. government’s effort to detain and deport a New York college student amid President Donald Trump’s escalating crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The ruling comes as Trump targets Columbia University, a hotbed of student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, and strips federal funding from the school while directing immigration officials to deport foreign students involved in the movement.
Trump’s push to expel students linked to the protests has sparked outrage, with critics calling it an assault on free speech and a politically motivated punishment. His supporters, however, argue that it is a necessary measure to restore order on campuses and protect Jewish students from alleged harassment.
Student Sues U.S. Government, Wins Temporary Reprieve
Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old South Korean citizen and U.S. permanent resident, was the latest target of the administration’s crackdown. Federal authorities sought to detain Chung under the same justification used to arrest Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil—claiming their activism undermines U.S. foreign policy, a charge that allows the Secretary of State to order their deportation.
Fearing imminent detention, Chung sued the government on Monday, arguing that the Trump administration was using immigration enforcement as a tool to silence non-citizen voices critical of its policies. Her legal team revealed that Columbia’s Public Safety department had contacted her, warning that Homeland Security agents were actively searching for her.
At an emergency hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Naomi Buchwald issued a temporary restraining order, barring authorities from detaining or deporting Chung until further notice.
“Defendants-Respondents are enjoined from detaining the Plaintiff-Petitioner pending further order of this Court,” the court order stated.
Professors Join Legal Fight Against Trump’s Crackdown
As legal battles unfold, Columbia University professors have also taken the Trump administration to court, arguing that its policies illegally target foreign academics and violate constitutional rights.
“The policy prevents or impedes Plaintiffs’ U.S. citizen members from hearing from, and associating with, their non-citizen students and colleagues,” their lawsuit argues.
Additionally, the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers have petitioned a New York judge to overturn Trump’s decision to cut $400 million in federal funding from Columbia, calling the move unconstitutional and a blatant political retaliation.
Campus Protests and Federal Retaliation
Columbia University has been at the center of the nationwide protest movement, with demonstrations exposing deep ideological divides over the war in Gaza, free speech, and academic freedom. Khalil, the detained graduate student, was a prominent leader in the protests, actively negotiating with university officials. His legal team is fighting to secure his release from a Louisiana detention center while challenging his deportation order.
Chung, while less high-profile, was previously detained and released on charges of “obstruction of governmental administration,” a case still pending in the New York court system. Federal agents reportedly searched two Columbia-owned residences earlier this month in connection with her case.
Activists argue that the student protests are a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, while Trump insists they are anti-Semitic and must be shut down. In response to the protests, the president slashed Columbia’s federal funding, citing the university’s failure to protect Jewish students from harassment.
Despite pressure from the White House, Columbia has introduced new measures to address concerns about campus demonstrations, including redefining anti-Semitism policies and strengthening oversight of protests. However, the school has resisted some of Trump’s more extreme demands.
Todd Wolfson, of the American Association of University Professors, warned that Trump’s crackdown on student activists and foreign academics is just the beginning.
“The Trump administration is going after international scholars and students who speak their minds about Palestine,” Wolfson said. “But make no mistake: they won’t stop there.”
