In a powerful courtroom statement, federal Judge William G. Young—a Reagan appointee with four decades on the bench—called President Trump an “authoritarian” and condemned his administration’s effort to deport international students for their political beliefs.

The case centers on students and scholars—many of them pro-Palestinian activists—who now face deportation for their speech. Using a rare Cold War–era immigration provision, the Trump administration has claimed that lawful, nonviolent political protest by noncitizen students poses a “foreign policy threat.”

Judge Young has called this campaign an “unconstitutional conspiracy” to silence dissent on campuses and intimidate foreign students into silence. He’s now proposing a court order that would:

• Presume any DHS enforcement against affected students is retaliatory, unless proven otherwise;
• Block deportations based on political expression, especially for members of the two academic organizations who filed suit (AAUP and MESA);
• And force the government to justify any removal attempts in court—not behind closed doors.

This is about more than student visas. It’s about free speech, academic freedom, and the First Amendment’s protection for everyone on U.S. soil—not just citizens.

We, the undersigned, call on:

• The U.S. Court of Appeals to uphold Judge Young’s order and affirm that political speech is not grounds for deportation;
• Congress to investigate DHS and the State Department’s use of ideological targeting against foreign students;
• And universities to stand publicly in defense of their international students’ right to speak freely.

If students can be deported for protest today, what rights will be left for anyone tomorrow?

This is the moment to act. Tell Congress and the courts: Support Judge Young’s order and stop political deportations now.

Photograph: Faith Ninivaggi/Reuters