Press Releases
04/14/2025
Attorney General Tong Supports Challenge to Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Ideological Deportation Policy
(Hartford,
CT) – Attorney General William Tong 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.
“This
chilling policy pulls from some of the darkest authoritarian playbooks
throughout history. We have already seen young international scholars—here 100
percent legally— captured from the streets of their college towns for daring to
express views that our President disagrees with. These dangerous and lawless
attacks on free speech and political expression will not end here unless the
courts step in immediately and forcefully to protect our freedom,” said
Attorney General Tong.
In
filing the amicus 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.
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 700
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University student Rümeysa Öztürk, whose immigration status was revoked without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.
The
coalition’s amicus brief may be viewed in its entirety here.
The
amicus brief was co-led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell
and Washington Attorney General Nicholas Brown. The amicus brief was also
joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland,
Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island, and
Vermont.
- Twitter: @AGWilliamTong
- Facebook: CT Attorney General
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov