politics
US can’t deport hate speech researcher for protected speech, lawsuit says
On Monday, US officials must explain what steps they took to enforce shocking visa bans.
TL;DR
- Imran Ahmed, a legal permanent resident and founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), is suing US officials to prevent his deportation.
- Ahmed alleges the Trump administration is using immigration law to punish him for his research and protected speech, and that his speech has been chilled.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa bans for five individuals, described as 'radical activists' and leaders of 'weaponized NGOs,' including Ahmed, Thierry Breton, Clare Melford, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, and Josephine Ballon.
- The stated reason for the visa bans is that the individuals' "entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the US."
- Ahmed was further accused of being a 'key collaborator with the Biden Administration’s effort to weaponize the government against US citizens,' citing a CCDH report that flagged Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. among the 'disinformation dozen.'
- Ahmed's group previously won a lawsuit against Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), which had accused CCDH of illegally scraping data and attempting to 'kill Twitter.'
- Ahmed secured a temporary restraining order on Christmas Day, arguing he risked irreparable harm.
- The lawsuit names Rubio, Under Secretary Sarah Rogers, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons as defendants.
- Ahmed's legal team argues that the government has no power to punish him for his research or protected speech and that there is no credible argument for his immigration detention.