Naomi Reice Buchwald, a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday blocking the Trump administration from detaining Yunseo Chung, a junior at Columbia University and anti-Israel activist, who faces deportation.
A women’s studies major who emigrated to the United States with her family from South Korea as a child, Chung was arrested at an anti-Israel protest at Barnard College’s library on March 5.
A senior spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told JNS that Chung engaged in “concerning conduct” at the time of her arrest.
“She is being sought for removal proceedings under the immigration laws,” the spokesperson said. “Chung will have an opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge.”
Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will “investigate individuals engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization,” the spokesperson told JNS. “Based on investigative findings, the Department of State may make a determination which may result in visa revocation or other action impacting the immigration status of an alien in the United States.”
Dozens of anti-Israel protesters took over the library building in March to protest disciplinary measures the school took against anti-Israel student activists on campus. Protesters handed out pamphlets from Hamas, praising the “Al-Aqsa flood,” the Oct. 7. 2023 terror attack on Southern Israel.
Chung is a lawful permanent resident, who attended the anti-Israel protest, per a complaint she filed against the Trump administration.
“Ms. Chung was outside the building on that day to protest what she believed to be the excessive punishments meted out by the Columbia administration to student protesters facing campus disciplinary proceedings,” the complaint states.
“She herself had previously faced a university disciplinary process, which resulted in a finding that Ms. Chung was not in violation of any university policy, and wanted to support her fellow students by attending the protest,” the complaint adds.
The New York City Police Department told JNS that Chung was arrested on March 5 and charged with obstructing governmental administration.
