A federal judge has instructed immigration authorities to stop their attempts to detain a Columbia University student who took part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. U.S. District Judge Naomi Buchwald issued the order on Tuesday, a day after the student initiated legal action.
Yunseo Chung, who has been in the U.S. since she was 7 years old, is taking legal action against President Donald Trump and several administration officials for their efforts to detain and remove her. According to Chung’s lawyers, the government’s pursuit of the Columbia student violates the First Amendment.
In the lawsuit, it is mentioned that Chung was not a leader but a participant in protests against Israel, along with a large group of college students who shared concerns about the conflict in Gaza. The lawsuit specifies that Chung attended the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a collection of tents set up in the campus center, without indicating whether she stayed there. It is clarified in the lawsuit that she did not make public statements or take part in highly visible activities during the demonstrations.
A pro-Palestinian demonstrator holds a flag on the rooftop of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York, on April 30, 2024. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Yunseo Chung has engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was arrested by NYPD during a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College. She is being sought for removal proceedings under the immigration law,” a senior DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Chung will have an opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge.”
Chung is the latest anti-Israel student protester to face possible deportation.
Mahmoud Khalil, who is a green card holder and the spouse of a U.S. citizen, was arrested by ICE earlier this month and faces deportation. Khalil is accused of playing a major role in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.
The Trump administration claims Khalil did not disclose his employment with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). His arrest sparked protests across New York City, with many saying that the Trump administration was violating his right to free speech.
People demonstrate outside the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, on the day of a hearing on the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, March 12, 2025. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)
The Trump administration has deemed that Khalil and Chung’s actions, and those of other student protesters, were in support of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization.
“ICE HSI will investigate individuals engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization. Based on investigative findings, the Department of State may make a determination which may result in visa revocation or other action impacting the immigration status of an alien in the U.S. Upon the determination from the Department of State, ICE will take appropriate enforcement actions,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital’s Kitty Le Claire and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
