Federal Trial Challenges Trump Policy on Campus Activists

A federal trial in Boston is challenging the Trump administration's policy of arresting and deporting international students and faculty involved in pro-Palestinian activism, with university associations arguing the policy violates constitutional free speech rights. The plaintiffs claim the administration targeted foreign-born students and scholars, including former Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, due to their opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza. The policy included arrests, visa revocations, and the withdrawal of research grants from elite universities during widespread campus protests. Federal judges have already ruled in favor of some individuals, such as ordering Khalil's release from detention. The government maintains its actions were based on national security and foreign policy, but critics argue they were retaliatory and suppressed protected speech. The trial's outcome may establish important legal precedents regarding protest rights and immigration.