On June 5, 2025, U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald granted ECBAWM and co-counsel’s motion for a preliminary injunction and ordered that ECBAWM client Yunseo Chung must remain free during her ongoing case against the Trump administration for violating her constitutional rights. The court stated at the hearing that arresting Ms. Chung would be a “traumatic” experience that could cause “irreparable harm.” The court denied the government’s request to dismiss the case and issued an order prohibiting the federal government from arresting Ms. Chung anywhere in the country or detaining her.

“Today’s decision affirms a basic principle: the government cannot punish someone for their beliefs or their speech,” said ECBAWM attorney Sonya Levitova following the ruling. “The court made clear that Yunseo cannot be detained or deported for exercising her constitutional rights. We will continue fighting to ensure that Yunseo — a twenty-one-year-old college student standing up for Palestinian human rights — can live, learn, and thrive without fear.”

Ms. Chung is a lawful permanent resident in the United States who emigrated from South Korea as a child. Two months ago, during Ms. Chung’s junior year at Columbia University, federal authorities searched her dorm, claimed that her lawful permanent resident status was revoked, and tried to arrest her to commence removal proceedings against her. They did so as retaliation for Ms. Chung’s participation in on-campus protests about Palestinian human rights and Columbia’s disciplinary response to student activism on that issue. The Trump administration claims that Ms. Chung’s presence in the country could compromise U.S. foreign policy.

Together with co-counsel CUNY CLEAR, Human Rights First, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Law office of Matthew Bray, and Jonathan Hafetz, Ms. Chung is represented by ECBAWM attorneys Jonathan S. Abady, Katherine Rosenfeld, and Sonya Levitova, who are proud to pursue actions that protect the constitutional rights of people like Ms. Chung.

Press:
“NY judge orders Trump administration not to arrest or relocate Columbia student protester,” Gothamist
“Federal judge blocks ICE from detaining Columbia University student,” The Washington Post
“Judge blocks Trump admin long-term from arresting Columbia student Yunseo Chung,” NY Daily News