FIREwire — October 17, 2025
Newsom defends the internet, U.S. revokes visas, and FIRE's 1AX: Immigration
“The public has a right to know how the government is conducting the people’s business.”
— White House Correspondents’ Association statement on Pentagon press restrictions
Newsom vetoes social media hate speech bill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the social media bill SB 771, which would have forced platforms to police vaguely defined “hateful” content, chilling online speech and violating both Section 230 protections and the First Amendment.
As FIRE commented, “We are grateful that the governor chose to protect free speech instead of setting California on the path to a losing battle against the First Amendment and Section 230.”
For more, see FIRE lead counsel on tech policy Ari Cohn’s recent essay.
Pentagon press policy sparks backlash
A Pentagon press badge policy stating some questions are beyond the First Amendment’s protection is raising bipartisan alarm bells as outlets across the political spectrum have largely refused to sign.
As Adam Goldstein wrote:
This runs into a functional problem and a legal problem. Let’s deal with the functional problem first. In most cases, journalists don’t know what answer they’re going to get to a question before they ask . . . The legal problem with this provision is that it’s not based in any actual law. As stated, it undermines well-established law. The First Amendment has limited enumerated exceptions, such as speech that is defamatory, speech that would inspire imminent lawless action, and obscenity.
U.S. revokes 6 visas over remarks about Kirk
The Trump administration revoked the visas of six legally present noncitizens over comments about Charlie Kirk.
“You can’t defend ‘our culture’ by eroding the very cornerstone of what America stands for: freedom of speech and thought,” FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick told The Guardian. “The Trump Administration must stop punishing people for their opinions alone.”
Below the fold
Litigation updates: Texas Campus Protection Act win, Let’s Go Brandon loss, Texas Campus Protection Act win
Facebook suspends popular Chicago ICE-sightings group at Trump administration’s request
Joel Mokyr wins Nobel Prize for showing how the free exchange of ideas led to increased economic growth
In the frame
FIRE is proud to present 1AX: Immigration, the pilot episode of FIRE’s original video series exploring the intersection of the First Amendment and major issues of the day.
Revoked visas. Deportations. A Red Scare law revived. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying noncitizens don’t have First Amendment rights. This is 1AX: Immigration, a FIRE original documentary featuring
, , and . Enjoy.By the numbers
The number of campus deplatforming attempts has now exceeded 100 for the third consecutive year. This is an unprecedented streak.
But for the first time since 2015, more deplatforming efforts have come from the political right of the expression than from the left — and the difference isn’t even close.
