President Donald Trump’s second-term crackdown on foreign pro-Palestinian academics has faced stiff opposition in court. Judges have blocked deportations of students including Mahmoud Khalil, Mohsen Mahdawi, Yunseo Chung, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Badar Khan Suri, ruling that the administration’s efforts violated constitutional protections on free speech.

One judge compared the deportation efforts to the McCarthy-era Red Scare, highlighting what critics call ideological targeting masked as immigration enforcement.

Trial Opens In Boston

The broader policy now goes to trial in a federal court in Boston, with U.S. District Judge William Young presiding. Known for his preference for live testimony and courtroom rigor, the 84-year-old Reagan appointee has allotted two weeks for the case. More than 20 witnesses are expected to testify, including academics and Homeland Security officials.

The lawsuit, spearheaded by the American Association of University Professors and other institutions, argues the deportation policy is undermining academic freedom and chilling political expression on campuses across the U.S.

Government Denies Ideological Motive

The Department of Homeland Security maintains the deportations are not ideologically driven. “We don’t deport people based on ideology,” said spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously invoked a rarely used provision of immigration law, citing national interest concerns to justify the removals.

The outcome of this trial, the first major legal test of Trump’s second term, could define the boundaries of academic freedom and political speech for foreign nationals in the U.S.