A student from Columbia University involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations is taking legal action against Donald Trump’s administration over attempts to deport her.
Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old who has lived in the US legally since her childhood, has had her attorneys file a complaint on Monday, labeling the government’s actions as a “stunning overreach” and an “unprecedented and unjustifiable attack” on her rights.
Since 2023, Chung has been actively participating in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, and she was arrested earlier this month while advocating against the university’s “harsh penalties” imposed on student activists, according to the lawsuit reported first by the New York Times.
Shortly after her arrest, immigration authorities reportedly initiated actions to detain Chung and deport her, with an official informing her attorney that her permanent resident status was being “revoked.”
This incident follows a wider crackdown by the Trump administration on immigrants involved in pro-Palestinian protests, with actions aimed at stripping them of their legal residency and forcing their deportation.
Earlier in the month, immigration officials arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who co-led demonstrations at Columbia, citing a state department order to revoke his green card. Khalil remains in custody in Louisiana, raising concerns among international students at the university about potential visa revocations.
The lawsuit on Chung’s behalf targets Trump, Marco Rubio—who allegedly ordered the revocation of Chung’s legal status—Kristi Noem, and other officials. Both Trump and Rubio have publicly supported the idea of revoking visas for international students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. During a recent press conference about Khalil, Rubio stated that the government would “kick out” green card holders involved in such protests.
Additionally, some US embassies in Europe have disseminated warnings to prospective tourists. An embassy in Estonia communicated: “When you apply for a visa to enter the United States, you are a guest. If you are here to promote Hamas, support terrorist groups, engage in vandalism, or partake in riots on campus, we would never have allowed you in had we known. You misled us. You’re out.”
Moreover, the administration is also focusing on long-time US residents. Chung, a junior at Columbia, moved to the US with her family at the age of seven and became a permanent resident in 2021, according to the complaint.
Just three days post her arrest at Columbia demonstrations, an ICE official reportedly issued an administrative arrest warrant for Chung. The next day, ICE agents visited her parents’ home looking for her and subsequently executed search warrants at two locations on Columbia’s campus, including Chung’s dormitory.
In her lawsuit, Chung alleges that the Trump administration’s actions represent a “broader pattern of attempted government repression against constitutionally protected protest activities and other forms of expression,” asserting that the government seeks to “retaliate against and penalize noncitizens like Ms. Chung for their involvement in protests.”
“Ms. Chung is challenging the government’s pattern and practice of targeting individuals associated with protests advocating for Palestinian rights for immigration enforcement in retaliation for their fundamental protected political speech,” the lawsuit declares.
