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Coalition of 19 Attorneys General Urges Court to Block Policy Targeting
Noncitizen Students and Faculty Based on Political Expression
BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Brown today joined a coalition of 19
attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in American Association of University Professors, et
al., v. Marco Rubio, et al. in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, supporting a challenge to
the Trump administration’s “Ideological Deportation Policy,” which targets and punishes
noncitizens with lawful status, especially college students and faculty, who express political
beliefs with which the administration disagrees, threatening investigation, arrest, detention, and
deportation.
In filing the brief, the coalition urges the court to block the administration’s policy, arguing that
it violates the First Amendment and irreparably harms colleges and universities, public health
and safety, and freedom of religious worship in the coalition states.
“This is ideological discrimination, plain and simple — and it violates the Constitution,” said
Attorney General Brown. “The administration cannot criminalize free speech or weaponize
immigration laws against lawful residents because it dislikes their views. We are asking the court
to put an end to this unconstitutional policy before it inflicts further irreparable harm on our
communities and our fundamental freedoms.”
The administration’s “Ideological Deportation Policy” is based on two Executive Orders (14161
and 14188). These orders direct federal agencies to vet foreign nationals seeking to enter the U.S.
based on ideological grounds rather than on direct safety threats. These orders further direct
federal agencies to investigate, detain, and deport noncitizen students and faculty who engage in
political speech with which the administration disagrees.
The administration has revoked more than 800 visas of noncitizen students, visitors, and
residents, including many revocations based on protected expression. The removal of lawful
immigration status leaves such individuals vulnerable to arrest, detention, and deportation.
Notably, on March 25, 2025, the policy resulted in the arrest and detainment of Tufts University
student Rümeysa Öztürk, whose immigration status was revoked without her knowledge.
In their brief, the coalition argues that the policy inflicts harm to educational institutions, where
free expression of political speech must be protected to allow students to learn from and engage
with diverse viewpoints. Due to the breadth and ambiguity of what speech the administration
deems prohibited, the coalition argues the policy will lead noncitizen residents to limit and
censor their political and religious expression, research, and academic conclusions. Moreover, as
a result of the administration’s policy, some colleges and universities have already witnessed
significant drops in applications and prospective enrollment of international students for the
2025-2026 school year.
The coalition also describes how the administration’s policy will harm public safety and public
health. Due to the fear of deportation caused by the policy, noncitizens could avoid cooperating
with law enforcement and reporting crime. Additionally, the policy will harm public health, as
the coalition states heavily depend on noncitizen healthcare workers. In fact, over one million immigrants work in healthcare nationwide, including 40% of home health aides.
As noncitizen residents contribute substantially to the economic, cultural, and intellectual vitality
of the coalition states, the coalition urges the court to block the policy, especially due to the
policy’s irreparable harm to the states and public interest.
Joining Attorney General Brown in filing the brief are the attorneys general of Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont,
and Washington.
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