Federal judge blocks detention of Columbia anti-Israel protester Yunseo Chung
Immigration authorities have been ordered by a federal judge to cease their efforts to arrest a Columbia University student who engaged in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. U.S. District Judge Naomi Buchwald issued the restraining order on Tuesday, just one day after the student filed her lawsuit.
Yunseo Chung, who has lived in the U.S. since she was 7 years old, is suing President Donald Trump and several members of his administration after federal authorities tried to arrest and deport her. In the lawsuit, Chung’s attorneys say that the government’s pursuit of the Columbia student is an "unjustifiable assault on First Amendment."
The lawsuit states that Chung was a participant in the anti-Israel protests, not a leader, and was "one of a large group of college students" expressing "shared concerns" over the war in Gaza. Chung, according to the lawsuit, "visited" the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a number of tents organized in the center of campus, but does not state whether she stayed there. The lawsuit also makes it clear that she did not make public statements or engage in high-profile activities while at the protests.
Chung’s lawsuit states that she was never arrested or disciplined in relation to events at the encampment. However, she was later arrested during a 2025 protest at Barnard College. The lawsuit claims that it is common in New York City for police to arrest many protesters and that charges are usually dropped or dismissed.
The lawsuit states that on March 8, an ICE official signed an administrative arrest warrant for Chung and federal law enforcement went to Chung’s parents’ house the next day seeking to arrest her.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official allegedly told Chung’s attorneys on March 10 that her green card had been "revoked," according to the lawsuit. The government has the authority to rescind permanent resident status if they believe a person has violated U.S. immigration law.
Chung’s attorneys say in the lawsuit that law enforcement searched Chung’s dorm room on March 13 in accordance with a warrant.
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"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.
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.