State Department Official Returns to Stand in Trial Over Deportation of Pro-Palestinian Academics

Archive/Reuters
A senior State Department official, John Armstrong, returned to the witness stand in a federal trial in Boston concerning a lawsuit alleging that the Trump administration deported noncitizen students and faculty for participating in pro-Palestinian protests.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), along with its chapters at Harvard, NYU, and Rutgers, and the Middle East Studies Association, claims that the administration’s actions violated the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Armstrong testified that the visa revocations targeted individuals for alleged support of terrorism and antisemitism, not protected speech. He denied the existence of an “ideological deportation” policy, asserting that actions were based solely on existing immigration laws and national security concerns.
The trial has highlighted the broader implications of the administration’s actions on academic freedom and free speech. Witnesses, including professors Megan Hyska and Nadje Al-Ali, testified about the chilling effect the crackdown has had on scholars’ willingness to engage in political discourse.
The trial is expected to conclude this week, with a ruling anticipated in August.
Agencies/Newspapers.