Yunseo Chung v. Donald Trump (Challenging Imminent Detention and Removal Under Trump’s Crackdown on Free Speech)
Status: Open
On March 24, 2025, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) filed a federal lawsuit challenging Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unlawful targeting of 21-year-old Columbia University student Yunseo Chung for her participation in pro-Palestinian Rights demonstrations. Yunseo Chung, a lawful permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. since age 7, faces imminent detention and potential deportation under a Trump-era policy that authorizes removal of noncitizens based on undefined “foreign policy” concerns.
The lawsuit argues that targeting Chung for her peaceful protest activities violates core First Amendment principles that protect all persons in the United States, regardless of citizenship status. The legal team sought emergency relief to prevent ICE from detaining Chung or transferring her to a remote detention facility, which would disrupt her education and severely limit her access to counsel.
On March 25, 2025 a federal judge in the Southern District of New York granted temporary relief, blocking ICE from detaining Chung. The court’s order preserves the status quo and prevents ICE from taking Chung into custody until after full briefing and argument on the legality of the government’s actions.
LCCRSF is litigating this case alongside CUNY Law School’s CLEAR project, Human Rights First, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, the Law Office of Matthew Bray, and constitutional law expert Jonathan Hafetz.