US Court Rules Visa Revocation for Pro-Palestinian Students Unlawful

A U.S. federal court in California has declared the government's practice of revoking visas for international students supporting Palestine as unlawful. The court determined that certain provisions of federal immigration law, used as the basis for these decisions, contravene the U.S. Constitution and should not have been applied.

Judge Noël Wise sharply criticized the Trump administration's approach in her ruling. She expressed concern that the government's actions weaken democracy by compelling members of society, regardless of citizenship, to self-censor. The judge fears that individuals expressing other unpopular views could become future targets.

The legal challenge originated from a lawsuit filed by The Stanford Daily, the student newspaper at Stanford University. Some of its staff members, who held student visas, reportedly refrained from reporting on pro-Palestinian protests due to fear of government repercussions. The newspaper's lawyers argued that two sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act violated the U.S. Constitution, as they were used by the administration to justify visa revocations.

This ruling echoes a similar decision made by a federal judge in Boston in 2025. Lawyers for the student newspaper highlighted that the verdict underscores freedom of speech not as a privilege, but as an inalienable right. The decision provides a significant legal precedent for protecting the rights of students and academics expressing political views.