FIREwire — July 11, 2025
Federal court reviews Trump deportations, charges dropped against Latino journalist in Atlanta, and Mahmoud Khalil sues for $20M
First federal trial begins over pro-Palestinian campus crackdown
A federal trial in Boston is examining whether the Trump administration’s efforts to deport pro-Palestinian foreign academics violate the First Amendment.
In a lawsuit brought by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and Middle East Studies Association, DOJ lawyer Victoria Santora initially claimed in her opening remarks that non-citizens have equal First Amendment rights, but later said this “is not necessarily based on their status in the country,” noting concerns about “national security, foreign policy, immigration enforcement.”
A senior ICE official testified the agency assembled a “tiger team” to compile reports based on 5,000 names provided by the Canary Mission, which doxxes people it considers antisemitic or anti-Israel.
As FIRE explained in an amicus brief, using an immigration law authorizing the secretary of state to deport people deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy creates a McCarthyist climate of fear among non-citizens, particularly in academia.
Charges dropped against Latino journalist held by ICE in Atlanta
Authorities have dropped charges against a Latino journalist in Atlanta who was detained by ICE, sparking concerns over press freedom and immigration enforcement.
All charges have been dropped against the Atlanta-based, Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara following his controversial arrest during a protest in June.
Police, who claim he disrupted their operations while livestreaming “No Kings” protests in Doraville, Georgia, detained and handed Guevara over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even though he had been granted release.
The El Salvador native and U.S. resident of over 20 years has been transferred between six ICE detention centers and now remains in custody despite charges being dropped.
Also in the news
Mahmoud Khalil files $20 million claim against the Trump administration after being held by ICE for 104 days.
Love Island contestant Cierra Ortega was removed from the show after old social media posts surfaced in which she used the anti-Chinese slur “chinky,” sparked discussions about racism and cancel culture.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild canceled an event after cartoonist Adam Zyglis received threats for his cartoon depicting a MAGA voter drowning in the Texas floods that have killed 120 people.