'No confusion' in court's intent as judge rules permanent US resident student cannot be detained

Record ID: 1986923

  • Title: 'No confusion' in court's intent as judge rules permanent US resident student cannot be detained
  • Date: 26th March 2025
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 26, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) RAMZI KASSEM, PROFESSOR OF LAW AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND CO-DIRECTOR OF CLEAR, A LEGAL NON-PROFIT AND CLINIC THAT REPRESENTS YUNSEO CHUNG, SAYING: "DHS actually called it, quote, 'concerning conduct,' whatever that means, at a protest, which of course, American students for gene
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Columbia Yunseo Chung
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,North America
  • Reuters ID: LVA00E191526032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A Korean American Columbia University student, who is a legal permanent U.S. resident and has participated in pro-Palestinian protests, cannot be detained by federal immigration officials for now as she fights the administration of President Donald Trump over attempts to deport her, a judge ruled on Tuesday (March 25).
    Yunseo Chung, 21, has lived in the U.S. since she was seven, and sued the Trump administration on Monday (March 24) to prevent her deportation. Her legal team was informed this month that her lawful permanent resident status was being revoked, according to court records in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
    Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and accused them of supporting Hamas militants, of posing hurdles for U.S. foreign policy and of being antisemitic.
    Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Human rights advocates condemn the government's moves.
    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleged Chung engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was previously arrested by police during a protest at Barnard College that DHS termed "pro-Hamas."
    Chung has not yet been arrested by federal officials. Immigration agents made multiple visits to her residences looking for her.
    U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order against the government that prevents Chung from being detained, court records showed.
    Ramzi Kassem, a law professor at the City University of New York and co-director of CLEAR, a legal clinic representing Chung, emphasized that the order was designed to ensure clarity and compliance by federal authorities.
    “The judge was very clear about her temporary restraining order blocking ICE from detaining Ms. Chung pending further order of the court until the court has a chance to evaluate the constitutional arguments we’re raising and the government’s position on them,” Kassem said on Wednesday (March 26).
    Actions against Chung form part of a pattern of government efforts against pro-Palestinian voices critical of Israel's military assault on Gaza, her lawsuit said.
    “No matter who you are in the United States, you have a constitutional right under the First Amendment,” Kassem said. “Simply because you say something that the people in power happened to dislike should not land you behind bars.”
    Columbia protester Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested this month and is legally challenging his detention, is also a lawful permanent resident. Trump, without evidence, accused Khalil of supporting Hamas, which Khalil denies.
    Badar Khan Suri, an Indian studying at Georgetown University, was detained last week. A federal judge barred Suri's deportation.
    U.S. officials have asked Cornell University student Momodou Taal to turn himself in, his attorneys say, adding his visa was being revoked.
    "Is that the sort of country we want to live in, where simply because you happen to hold that opinion or participate in a protest that the White House doesn't like or that doesn't fall in line with the viewpoint of someone in government, that that should be a reason for ICE to essentially abduct you, as they did Mahmoud Khalil, and whisk you away to a prison in Louisiana or Texas until they can try to deport you," Kassem said.
    (Production: Roselle Chen)
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