Columbia University students sued President Donald Trump and other top management staff.
The lawsuit was filed Monday after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau (ICE) received an administrative warrant for the arrest of 21-year-old Yoon Ze Ocheon, and informed South Korean indigenous people that her status has been “revoked.”
The lawsuit argues that the administration is “part of a larger pattern of US government attempted crackdowns of constitutionally protected protests.”
“Government oppression has focused specifically on university students who speak in solidarity with the Palestinians and are critical of the Israeli government's ongoing military campaign in Gaza and Israeli policies of the US government and other US institutions,” the lawsuit reads.
Ivy League anti-Israel ring leader Mahmoud Khalil withholds details of foreign ties from Visa applications: Feds
Student protesters will avoid the camp at Columbia University campus in New York on Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
The lawsuit is named as Secretary of State Trump and Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Christie Noem, acting director for Ice Todd Lions and acting field office director for New York Ice William Joyce.
“Government actions are unprecedented and unfair attacks on the First Amendment and other rights that cannot withstand basic legal scrutiny,” the lawsuit says. “Simply, immigration enforcement — here threatens immigration detention and threatening deportation — may not be used as a tool to punish non-citizen speakers who express political views that are disgusting with the current administration.”
Read the lawsuit: Mobile users click here
According to the lawsuit, Chong is a junior at an Ivy League facility and has a promising future ahead of her after graduating as a Valle Dictarian in high school. She legally arrived in the United States during her father's graduation study. The lawsuit points out that she maintains a 3.99 GPA.
Chung is involved in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, but has never been in a prominent position like Mahmoud Khalil, a former Colombian student and legal immigrant who has not spoken to the press or is facing deportation.
The video shows the arrest of Colombian anti-Israel ring leader Mahmoud Khalil
Her name was mentioned in media reports after participating in the protest on March 5th. She was arrested on suspicion of being “above the government administration,” but the university cleared the fraud during disciplinary procedures related to her protests.
The lawsuit immediately alleges that Ice came after her and went to her house to search her dorm room looking for her.
“Now, the highest-class government officials are trying to use immigration enforcement as BL arrogance to curb speeches they dislike, including Mr. Chong's speech,” they said.
On Tuesday, federal court threw a temporary restraining order to the ice, saying it could not be arrested and expelled Chong. The expiration date of an order will be determined by another court order.
Teachers Union sues Trump administration, which cuts more than $400 million to Columbia University
Student protesters will gather in New York on Monday, April 29, 2024, in protest within the campus of Columbia University. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
The lawsuit argues that the government is on the way after her free speech and uses justifications that the administration sees as a threat to foreign policy that seeks to revoke her status.
The Trump administration has made its appearance as “pro-hama” after foreign students taking part in the Palestinian protests.
“To all resident aliens who participated in the jihadist protests, we have notified you: Come in 2025, we will find you, and we will expel you,” Trump is quoted in a fact sheet issued by the White House. “I will also quickly cancel all Hamas sympathizer student visas on university campus.
The family of Israeli hostages is Sue Mahmoud Halil of Mahmoud Halil, a Colombian organizer known as the “Hamas” propaganda arm in New York.
Palestinian protesters demonstrated on Thursday, April 18, 2024 outside the Columbia University campus in New York City. Several students were arrested after officers exempt campus from lawn campus. (Peter Gerber from Fox News Digital)
In a statement to Fox News, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesman said Chung was “involved in the conduct” but said he had the opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge.
“ICE HSI investigates individuals engaged in activities to support Hamas, a foreign terrorist organisation,” they said. “Based on the findings, the State Department may make decisions that could result in visa revocation or other actions that affect the immigration status of foreigners in the United States along with decisions from the State Department, and ICE will take appropriate enforcement measures.”
Click here to get the Fox News app
Fox News Digital reached out to Chung's lawyer Naz Ahmad, The White House and Ice, for comment.
Brendan McDonald of Fox News contributed to this report.
