The Stanford Daily has filed a federal lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump, accusing it of violating the free speech rights of foreign students by threatening them with deportation over articles deemed “anti-American” or “anti-Israel.”

The suit, filed Wednesday in a California federal court, alleges that foreign students have refrained from writing about the war in the Middle East out of fear of arrest, detention, or deportation. “This fear is incompatible with American principles of liberty. The First Amendment stands as a bulwark against any governmental infringement on the fundamental right to think and express,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit names US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem as defendants. A Stanford University spokesperson clarified that the newspaper is an independent organization and the university itself is not a party to the case.

Students detained with no formal charges

According to the Stanford Daily, the Trump administration has attempted to deport students who expressed support for Palestinians, labeling them “antisemitic” and “sympathetic to extremists,” and claiming their presence contradicts US foreign policy. In several cases, federal judges have ordered the release of students detained without formal charges.

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The newspaper contends that such actions have driven its foreign writers to self-censor to avoid government targeting. The complaint also states that these threats prevent foreign journalists from engaging in lawful expressive activities such as attending protests, holding political signs, or speaking publicly about US policy, “Israel,” and Palestine.

The Stanford Daily is asking the court to issue a ruling affirming that the US Constitution prohibits deporting foreign nationals for engaging in protected free speech, a decision that could set a significant legal precedent for the rights of foreign students in the United States.

Legal battle looms over student rights

The Trump administration in May revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, citing unresolved legal concerns tied to a federal investigation. The move effectively bars the university from admitting new foreign students under student visas.

The Trump administration's decision marks a dramatic escalation in its efforts to reshape the ideological landscape of US higher education. Beyond its move to bar international students from Harvard, the administration has threatened to cut off federal funding unless the university complies with several demands: dismantling diversity programs, producing a “viewpoint diversity” audit, and quashing pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Harvard of harboring “foreign influence” and failing to be transparent about its international enrollment.

“Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their students’ education nor do they ever intend to,” he wrote. “Nobody told us that!”

These statements followed his call for the university to submit the names and national origins of all its international students, a request Harvard has refused.

Another federal judge had earlier blocked a broader federal move to strip foreign students of their legal status nationwide during an ongoing legal challenge, setting a precedent for the current dispute involving Harvard.