Federal Judge Blocks Deportation Efforts Against Pro-Palestinian Activist

In a significant ruling, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt its efforts to arrest and deport Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Judge Naomi Buchwald stated during a hearing in Manhattan federal court that "nothing in the record" indicated that Ms. Chung posed a danger to the community or a foreign-policy risk, or had communicated with terrorist organizations. The judge's order comes after the administration began seeking to arrest Ms. Chung this month, citing a rarely used legal statute that justifies detention and deportation based on hindering the administration's foreign policy goal of stopping the spread of antisemitism.

Ms. Chung, a legal permanent resident who immigrated from South Korea as a child, was arrested along with several other students at a protest at Barnard College, but was not detained by federal agents. Her lawyers have declined to comment on her whereabouts, and she expressed relief at the judge's ruling, saying it felt like "a million pounds off of my chest."

Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer for Ms. Chung, said that his client remained a resident of the Southern District of New York and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had not been able to find her. He also stated that she was "keeping up with her coursework" during this time.

The Trump administration has argued that Ms. Chung's presence in the United States hinders its foreign policy goal of stopping the spread of antisemitism, citing a legal statute rarely used. However, Judge Buchwald's order said that if the government were to try and detain Ms. Chung under a different statute, it must provide sufficient advance notice to her and her attorneys.

This ruling is significant, as it comes after the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of a Columbia master's program who is detained in Louisiana, where he was arrested before his lawyers could petition a judge in his defense. In contrast, Ms. Chung sued while she was still free, and Judge Buchwald moved swiftly to block her deportation.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Ms. Chung's conduct had been "concerning" and mentioned her arrest by the New York Police Department at a "pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College." However, they did not provide evidence that Ms. Chung had supported Hamas, and press representatives for the department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Judge Buchwald's decision.

ICE officials have visited Ms. Chung's parents' home, texting her directly, and searched two residences on the Columbia University campus.