Federal Court Rules Speech-Based Visa and Deportation Enforcement Unconstitutional

A U.S. federal court declared parts of two immigration provisions unconstitutional when used to penalize protected speech, in a case challenging visa and deportation enforcement against noncitizens who supported Palestinians or criticized Israel’s Gaza policy. Judge Noël Wise also held the provisions void for vagueness in that application under the Fifth Amendment. The suit was brought by The Stanford Daily and an F-1 student who said the policy chilled student journalism on the Middle East. Wise denied a requested permanent injunction at this stage, directed entry of judgment, and closed the case.