A Columbia University junior arrested earlier this month during an anti-Israel protest is now fighting a legal battle against the Trump administration to stop her deportation. The student, 21-year-old Yunseo Chung, filed a lawsuit on Monday in Manhattan federal court, naming President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials as defendants.
Deportation threat follows campus arrest
Chung, who moved to the United States from South Korea nearly 15 years ago, is facing deportation proceedings initiated by immigration authorities. The Trump administration has recently escalated efforts to remove non-citizens deemed a threat to foreign policy, placing Chung in legal jeopardy.
A legal permanent resident since childhood, Chung has lived in the U.S. since she was seven years old. Her attorney declined to disclose her current whereabouts but confirmed she remains in the country.
Chung reportedly came to the attention of federal authorities after being arrested on March 5 during a sit-in at a Barnard College academic building. The protest was organized in response to disciplinary actions taken against anti-Israel demonstrators at the Columbia-affiliated institution. Following the arrest, Chung was charged with obstructing governmental administration and issued a desk appearance ticket by the NYPD.
Days later, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents visited Chung’s parents’ home, searching for her. Around the same time, a federal agent reached out to Chung via text message, according to the lawsuit. When her attorney contacted the agent, they were informed that the State Department was revoking Chung’s legal status and that an administrative warrant had been issued for her arrest.
Federal raids and school response
Chung’s lawsuit also revealed that her dorm was one of two Columbia-owned residences raided by federal law enforcement on March 13. Columbia University’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, expressed her dismay at the time, saying she was “heartbroken” over the federal intervention.
Chung’s legal team argues that the government’s actions are an attempt to stifle free speech.
“The government’s retaliation against Ms. Chung comes in a broader context of retaliation against other noncitizens who have exercised their First Amendment rights,” her lawyers stated. “Officials at the highest levels of the federal government have made clear that they intend to use immigration enforcement to punish noncitizens who speak out in support of Palestinians and Palestinian rights, or who are perceived to have engaged in such speech.”
DHS cites security concerns
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson defended the deportation efforts, saying Chung “engaged in concerning conduct, including when NYPD arrested her during a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College.” The spokesperson confirmed that she is being sought for removal proceedings under U.S. immigration laws.
Chung is not the only student activist facing possible deportation. Former Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in last year’s campus protests, was taken into custody on March 8 and is currently being held at a detention facility in Louisiana while his legal status is contested.
History of activism and legal fight ahead
Chung has previously been involved in campus activism. Last year, she faced a disciplinary hearing after putting up posters accusing Columbia’s Board of Trustees of being “Wanted for Complicity in Genocide.” However, the university ultimately determined that she had not violated any school policies.
Her lawsuit names key Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, among others. Chung is asking the court to halt the government’s deportation efforts and grant her protection from arrest while legal proceedings unfold.
The State Department, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security have yet to comment on the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Chung’s case has ignited renewed debate over the intersection of immigration enforcement and free speech, as well as the broader implications for student activists in the U.S.
