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Sen. Sanders Defends Student Amid Deportation Attempt
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has vocally criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In a recent post on X, Sanders emphasized that political dissidents should not face exile in the United States.
“You can’t exile political dissidents. Not in the United States,” Sanders stated on Tuesday, shortly after a federal ruling concerning Chung’s case.
U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald, appointed by former President Clinton, ruled that Chung, a 21-year-old lawful permanent resident, would not be deported until the court could review her defense against the removal order further.
Sanders pointed out that Chung has been a permanent resident since the age of seven, condemning her deportation attempt as a reaction to her participation in protests against the military actions in Gaza. “Her ‘crime’? Attending a protest against the war in Gaza. No, Mr. President. This is a democracy,” he remarked.
The push for Chung’s deportation involves U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), utilizing a State Department directive that allows for the removal of individuals whose actions could have significant adverse effects on foreign policy.
This same directive was cited in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student known for his pro-Palestinian activism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio initiated Khalil’s removal proceedings, arguing that his activities related to the Israel-Hamas war warranted such an action under Section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Many lawmakers have labeled Khalil a “political prisoner,” while Chung’s legal team asserts that the measures taken against her are both “unprecedented” and “unjustifiable.” They argue that these actions represent a serious infringement on First Amendment rights and other civil liberties.
“The government’s actions are an unprecedented and unjustifiable assault on First Amendment and other rights, one that cannot stand basic legal scrutiny,” Chung’s attorneys stated in their court filings. They argued that immigration enforcement, particularly involving detention and deportation, should not be wielded as a punitive measure against noncitizens exercising political expression deemed unwelcome by the current administration.
Chung is represented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, the City University of New York’s CLEAR Project, and Human Rights First, underscoring the commitment of various organizations to fight for her rights and uphold the principles of free speech and political expression.
Source
thehill.com