Judge Extends Order Protecting Columbia Student Yunseo Chung From ICE Arrest

Lawyers representing a Columbia University student Yunseo Chung , who has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after discovering she faced deportation, made her argument in court on Thursday.

Chung, a 21-year-old individual from South Korea who holds a green card, refutes accusations made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement alleging her involvement in pro-Hamas protests. She asserts that she is mistakenly being singled out due to her participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

A Columbia University student is filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding their deportation case.

On Thursday, protesters organized a "Hands Off Yunseo Chung" demonstration in Foley Square as a federal court judge listened to arguments presented by attorneys representing Chung, who is a junior year student at Columbia University. Approximately 80 supporters assembled outside the courthouse.

Chung’s lawsuit alleges that ICE began focusing on her following her arrest and receipt of a citation at a protest that took place on March 5, concerning an issue related to immigration. Columbia University implementing disciplinary measures against students who had participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus .

He's 21 years old. He came to the U.S. at the age of 7 from South Korea," stated a demonstrator on Thursday. "He participated in a demonstration at Barnard, which supported Palestine, and he got arrested during this event; however, all charges against him were subsequently dropped.

The Department of Homeland Security stated they were aiming to deport Chung, citing her involvement in "concerning behavior" and describing the demonstration as supportive of Hamas.

Chung's attorneys mentioned thatICE visited her dorm and her parents' residence in Virginia during March; however, she wasn’t present at either place. Two months prior, a judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent Chung’s deportation.

Students' lawyers argue for case to be heard in New York

The issue in court now is whether ICE's attempts to detain Chung are legal and if her immigration case should be heard in New York, where she lives and interns, according to her lawyers.

Initially, the judge stated that she was unable to make a decision until Chung officially initiated proceedings with ICE.

The judge explicitly stated that there’s a clear way for Ms. Chung to assert her rights regarding freedom of speech and fair treatment,” noted Nathan Yaffe, one of Chung's attorneys.

The judge proposed that Chung could enter into a bail arrangement, allowing her to avoid detention. At some stage, Chung’s lawyers informed the judge that they could have her present at the courthouse within an hour if necessary.

The attorney representing the federal government refused to approve a bail deal, stating that he required consent from high-ranking officials at ICE who were unavailable. CBS News New York is currently awaiting a statement from the Department of Homeland Security regarding this progression in Chung’s situation.

Back in March, a DHS spokesperson said, "ICE [Homeland Security Investigations] will investigate individuals engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization."

"The idea that a valedictorian just shows some humanity to fellow people is somehow a threat to U.S. foreign policy, and it really makes you wonder what's going on with our foreign policy," Josh Colangelo, another one of Chung's attorneys, said.

Currently, the judge has prolonged the temporary restraining order shielding Chung from arrest until the hearing scheduled for June 5th.

On Wednesday, a judge prevented the expulsion of fellow Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil The judge indicated that removing him due to his beliefs might contravene the Constitution. However, they did not order Khalil’s release from ICE custody in Louisiana; instead, they asked his lawyers to provide additional responses regarding allegations that he omitted details on his residency application.