‘Ideological deportation' trial continues

Politico

6 days ago

With help from Josh Gerstein
'IDEOLOGICAL DEPORTATION': A coalition of academics suing the Trump administration for what it describes as 'ideological deportation' will continue to make their case in federal court today that the administration has been targeting faculty and students, who partake in pro-Palestinian activity.
— The American Association of University Professors, a union and membership association of academics, accused the Trump administration of punishing noncitizens with lawful status who the administration disagrees with.
— The Trump administration tried to get the case dismissed, but Judge William Young, a Ronald Reagan-appointee, ordered a trial, which began last week.
— A State Department official defended the Trump administration's moves in a Boston courtroom on Friday to cancel the visas of pro-Palestinian academics, arguing that the effort does not infringe upon free speech, while arguing that a 'ideological deportation policy' was not underway.
— 'I have heard that accusation. I believe it's groundless,' said John Armstrong, State's top consular official, who has worked at the agency for more than 30 years.
— 'I run the Bureau of Consular Affairs. I'm responsible for everything those 13,000 people do,' Armstrong added. 'I would know if there's an ideological deportation policy going on that involved the Bureau of Consular Affairs. It's silly to suggest that there's such a policy that I wouldn't know about.'
— However, AAUP argues that recent deportations, detentions and arrests have created a chilling effect on campuses across the country. The plaintiffs and their witnesses point to examples such as Columbia University graduate and activist Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk, who co-authored an op-ed calling for Tufts leadership to condemn certain Israeli actions.
— Some professors testified in court that these efforts have dissuaded them from speaking in support of pro-Palestine advocacy.
— 'I actually just decided on a blanket policy that I would keep my head down completely,' professor of philosophy Bernhard Nickel, a German citizen, said during his testimony last week, according to Harvard Magazine.
— Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general who outlined their concerns about the Trump administration's treatment of noncitizen academics and students in an amicus brief.
— 'No student should ever live in fear of detention or deportation for what they believe or express. School campuses are not places where young people should be silenced, targeted, or made to feel unsafe,' Campbell said in a statement. 'I am proud to defend the rights of our international students and faculty who add to the rich dialogue on our campuses and to our global competitiveness as a nation.'
— The trial is expected to continue throughout this week.
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In the States
ACCREDITATION: Florida university leaders took initial steps toward creating a new multistate college accrediting board Friday, putting into motion the first major attempt to reform accreditation under the Trump administration, our Andrew Atterbury reports.
— The state university system's Board of Governors voted to establish the so-called Commission for Public Higher Education as a nonprofit in Florida and set up a board to run it, with hopes of scoring a final U.S. Department of Education approval by mid-2028. Major universities in five other Southern states have already signed on to the idea, signaling a possible shift in the higher education landscape as Republicans rail against 'woke indoctrination' on college campuses.
— 'We believe that the best way to improve the marketplace is to have more choice, and we believe this is a choice whose time has come,' said Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of Florida's university system.
DEI
SCRUBBING DEI: A Harvard alumni group, Crimson Courage, criticized the university for rolling back diversity equity and inclusion language across its website.
— The university shuttered its diversity office and replaced it with an Office for Academic Culture and Community, The Harvard Crimson reported last week. Webpages for the Harvard College Women's Center, Office for BGLTQ Student Life, and Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations were taken down that week.
— The alumni group wrote they had concerns that the impact of Harvard's actions extend further than their own campus, setting a dangerous precedent.
— 'We write with deep concern about the dismantling of diversity efforts at Harvard College and the FAS, an apparent capitulation to illegal federal overreach that represents a troubling submission to their coercive demands,' the group wrote in a letter to university officials. 'This moment is not just about internal policy shifts, but about the erosion of academic freedom under pressure and the dangerous precedent it sets for the future of American education and democratic society.'
Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
THE SENATE
'GENDER IDEOLOGY': Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) are introducing a bill in their chamber that aims to codify an executive order from President Donald Trump that would ban federal funding to teach about 'gender ideology' in schools.
— The executive order that the senators reference in their bill declares there are 'two sexes, male and female' and rescinds a list of Biden-era policies pertaining to LGBTQ+ themes and transgender equality.
— 'Our children go to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,' Tuberville said in a statement. 'I've always said that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. But under Joe Biden, Democrats turned our children's classrooms into woke propaganda HQ. Schools should focus on teaching kids to read, write, and do math. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to get woke politics out of the classroom.'
— Joining in: Sens. Tuberville and Risch were joined by Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) in cosponsoring this legislation.
Syllabus
— After Northwestern scientist questioned for China ties died by suicide, family sues and speaks out. NBC News.
— After a child care worker is detained by ICE, a community is left reeling. The 19th.
— A federal program helps NYC families eat healthy meals. Trump's new legislation cuts it. Chalkbeat.