The Free Flow — April 17, 2025
U.S. accelerates student deportations over political speech, Meta accused of mass censorship of Palestine content, Hungary cracks down on dual citizens and LGBTQ+ speech, and more.
Editor’s Note: Given the recent multifront assault on the First Amendment in the U.S. — from weaponized FCC crackdowns on the press to attacks on academic freedom to the overt use of speech and beliefs to justify revoking legal status for immigrants — we have reorganized the newsletter a bit to highlight and dig deeper into these stories with a new section called “First of All.”
First of All
» Trump Freezes $2.2 Billion for Harvard, Threatens Tax Status Over Refusal to Comply
President Donald Trump escalated his crackdown on elite universities by freezing more than $2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and threatening its tax-exempt status after the institution rejected a White House mandate to overhaul its hiring practices, curriculum, and protest policies.
Background:
The Trump administration demanded that Harvard implement 10 sweeping changes, including faculty audits, viewpoint diversity requirements, and disciplinary measures for student protestors critical of U.S. support for Israel.
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the demands, defending the university’s autonomy and First Amendment rights, calling the measures “direct governmental regulation” of intellectual conditions.
In response, the Department of Education froze $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts, with Trump threatening Truth Social to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, accusing the university of supporting “terrorist-inspired sickness.”
A lawsuit filed by Harvard professors claims the federal government is unlawfully coercing ideological conformity through funding threats.
» State Department Found No Sufficient Grounds for Deportation of the Tufts Student
An internal memo from the State Department, written days before ICE agents arrested Tufts University Student Rumeysa Ozturk, casts doubts on the Department of Homeland Security’s claims that she engaged in activities “in support of Hamas.”
Background:
Rumeysa Ozturk was detained three weeks ago by ICE agents, amidst a wave of students who appear to have been arrested for pro-Palestinian speech.
The State Department memo found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not have sufficient grounds to seek her deportation under U.S. immigration law, which allows the Secretary of State to deport individuals who pose potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences."
Ozturk’s case is particularly concerning, since the administration has only cited an op-ed in a student newspaper that she authored as evidence of the national security threat she presents.
Digging Deeper:
The Trump administration has escalated student deportations more broadly, with The Economist reporting this week that 100 students in California alone, and hundreds more across the country, have had their visas revoked for seemingly minor infractions, like receiving a speeding ticket.
Internal systems, such as SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), are being used to identify international students, and AI tools are allegedly scanning social media for content related to activism.
For more about the Trump administration’s hostile stance toward free speech exercised by foreign students and its consequences, read Executive Director Jacob Mchangama and Research Assistant Hirad Marami’s Bedrock Principle Substack here.
» Columbia Student Detained by ICE After Citizenship Interview
Columbia University student and Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi was detained by federal agents at what was scheduled to be his U.S. citizenship interview.
Background:
Mahdawi, a green card holder originally from the West Bank, co-founded Columbia’s Palestinian Student Union and was involved in campus protests over the war, though he says he stepped back from organizing in early 2024.
A habeas corpus petition filed by Mahdawi’s legal team argues that the State Department’s policy is "to retaliate and punish noncitizens for their speech and expressive conduct related to Palestine and Israel.”
It also argues that the government’s “actions plainly violate the First Amendment, which protects Mr. Mahdawi's right to speak on matters of public concern and prevents the government from chilling constitutionally protected speech."
He is the second Columbia student activist detained in recent weeks, following the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, whose deportation proceedings you can read about below.
» Trump Administration Seeks Legally Binding Oversight of Columbia
The Trump administration is reportedly considering placing Columbia University under a federal consent decree — a rare, legally binding arrangement that would allow the government to enforce ongoing control over the institution’s policies and programs.
Background:
Columbia has already accepted several conditions as a precondition for restoring $400 million in federal grants suspended last month amid allegations the university failed to prevent antisemitic incidents on campus.
The proposal for a consent decree reportedly comes from the administration’s antisemitism task force, which includes Justice Department attorneys skeptical of Columbia’s “good faith.”
Columbia’s Response: The University’s President, Claire Shipman, stated the university would not accept any agreement that compromises its academic independence in a message to the Columbia community.
» U.S. Cites ‘Beliefs’ as Grounds for Mahmoud Khalil’s Deportation
In a highly unusual legal filing, the Trump administration admitted it has no evidence of criminal conduct by Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, instead citing his political beliefs as justification for deportation.
Details:
Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and recent graduate of Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, was arrested in March and is being held in a Louisiana detention center.
A memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims Khalil’s presence undermines U.S. efforts to combat antisemitism, even while acknowledging his conduct was lawful.
» FCC Chair Challenges Comcast’s License Over ‘News Distortion’
FCC Chair Brendan Carr accused Comcast-owned NBC News and MSNBC of deliberately misrepresenting the background of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported Salvadoran immigrant portrayed by the Trump administration as a dangerous MS-13 member.
Background:
Carr alleged that the outlets misled the public by initially referring to Garcia as a "Maryland man" and downplaying his gang ties. He warned that media outlets with FCC-licensed operations are bound by law to serve the public interest.
“News distortion doesn’t cut it,” Carr wrote on X, arguing Comcast ignored facts of public interest.
The White House has aggressively challenged media coverage of Garcia’s case, accusing outlets of undermining the administration’s immigration agenda.
Attack on Press Freedom:
Carr’s remarks echoed President Trump’s threats to scrutinize broadcast networks, including calls to pull licenses from CBS, ABC, and NBC over allegedly biased reporting.
In a Truth Social post this week, President Trump accused 60 Minutes and CBS News of election interference, defamation, and “fraudulent” reporting, while calling on the FCC to revoke their license and impose “maximum fines and punishment.”
» White House Blocks AP From Oval Office Coverage in Defiance of Court Order
Despite a federal injunction ordering the Trump administration to restore the Associated Press’s access to the Oval Office, AP journalists were barred from covering a meeting between President Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele on Monday.
Background:
The White House banned the AP in February after the outlet declined to use the administration’s preferred term, “Gulf of America,” instead of “Gulf of Mexico.” The AP sued, arguing the government’s retaliation violated the First Amendment by conditioning access on political compliance.
U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden ruled in favor of the AP, ordering the White House to “immediately rescind” its denial of access.
An AP reporter was eventually allowed into a subsequent White House event on Tuesday for the first time since they were banned.
The Digital Age
» Whistleblower Leak Alleges Meta’s Role in Global Censorship of Palestine Content
New whistleblower documents obtained by DropSite News reveal that Meta has removed 90,000 posts and suppressed tens of millions more related to Palestine in coordination with the Israeli government.
Details:
According to the leaked data, Meta complied with 94% of Israeli takedown requests since October 7, 2023, resulting in the immediate removal of over 90,000 posts. Content flagged by Israel was disproportionately aimed at users in Arab and Muslim-majority countries, but users in more than 60 countries reported censorship related to Palestine.
Israel was reportedly granted an exception from Meta’s standard protocol, allowing AI systems to review and act on its takedown requests without human moderation, which enables the rapid, automated suppression of similar content across Meta platforms.
Context: The claim comes amid another whistleblower case against Facebook, which alleges that the company worked with the Chinese government to censor content and facilitate surveillance through its platforms.
» FTC Chairman Signals Interest in Antitrust Action Over Content Moderation
At a recent Stigler Center conference, the Federal Trade Commission’s Chairman Andrew Ferguson suggested that content takedowns by dominant social media platforms—if tied to their market power—could constitute a violation of U.S. antitrust laws.
Background: According to the Director of Antitrust and Innovation Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the U.S. does not recognize “abuse of dominance” in the same way the EU does, meaning platforms typically face no antitrust liability for so-called exploitative conduct—such as unilateral content removals—unless there's collusion or exclusion of a competitor.
Ferguson’s remarks, characterizing “censorious practices” as a potential abuse of market power, signal a more expansive view of how the FTC might approach platform behavior.
» U.S. Justice Department Ordered to Restrict Employee Social Media Activity
The US Justice Department, under President Trump's administration, has implemented a new directive prohibiting employees from posting any content on social media related to their government work.
Background:
The DOJ has always placed restrictions on content sharing, such as discussing confidential investigations, political expression that might jeopardize the department’s neutrality, comments "in reckless disregard for the truth" about anyone the department is in contact with—including judges—and any speech that might prejudice proceedings against accused individuals.
Top Trump appointees have already violated such rules, making X posts about Democrat-appointed judges being in league with criminals, or claiming arrested individuals were part of violent gangs such as MS-13 when their indictments failed to include such charges.
Trump’s new order goes much further than previous regulations, forbidding employees from posting department titles or sharing government press releases. In addition, DOJ officials cannot use social media "in a way that damages the efficiency of the department.”
Given how current high-level Trump DOJ officials have disregarded the standard rulebook, free speech advocates worry that the new rules will be used on a partisan basis to suppress dissenting views within the department.
» Former UK PM Liz Truss to Release New ‘Uncensored’ Social Media Platform
The announcement was made at a cryptocurrency event in Bedford, UK, last weekend.
Background:
Liz Truss was the leader of the Conservative Party and the shortest-serving British Prime Minister, holding office for just over a month.
In her recent speech, she warned about the “deep state” and being “cut off at the knees” while she was PM. Comparing the British media environment to the Soviet Union, she said, “I do think this needs to be actively fought and what I am doing is establishing a new free speech network, which will be uncensored and uncancellable, to actually talk about the issues people don’t want to talk about.”
Truss is a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump and multi-billionaire Elon Musk, and her call for a new social media network appears to follow in the footsteps of Trump’s Truth Social platform and Musk’s takeover of X.
» USCIS Expands Social Media Monitoring to Include Antisemitism
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it is ramping up social media surveillance of immigrants, now explicitly including antisemitism as part of its vetting for national security and public safety risks.
Background:
In a two-part post on X, USCIS emphasized its authority to monitor immigrants’ online activity for signs of gang affiliation, violent ideology, or threats to national security.
“EVERYONE should be on notice,” the agency wrote. “If you’re a guest in our country – act like it.”
It remains unclear how USCIS defines antisemitism in this context.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond
» Hungary Parliament Cracks Down on LGBTQ+ and Dual-Citizen Rights
The Hungarian Parliament passed two constitutional amendments that, respectively, ban public LGBTQ+ gatherings and allow the government to temporarily suspend a dual-national’s citizenship on national security grounds.
Background:
Alongside the constitutional dismantling of LGTBQ+ rights—which followed the March legislation—Fidesz announced its dual-citizenship amendment takes aim at "bogus NGOs, bought politicians and the so-called independent media."
Fidesz’s statements suggest that Orban is trying to decisively suppress left-leaning Hungarian figures, such as George Soros, whom he has repeatedly denounced.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside parliament to protest Hungary’s decisive turn away from liberal democracy.
» UK House of Lords to Oppose Speech Restrictions in Labour Workers’ Rights Bill
The Peers are expected to vote against the “banter ban” in the Labour Party’s new workers’ rights bill, which mandates restaurant and pub owners ensure workers do not overhear speech they disagree with.
Background:
In January, the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warned pub owners “could ban patrons from talking about transgender rights” and other controversial political and philosophical speech under Labour’s proposed workers’ rights legislation.
Under the current Labour bill, pubs and restaurant owners would have to shield staff from “third party” speech they consider offensive, which includes overhearing clients.
Lord Young of Acton, a peer and founder of the UK’s Free Speech Union, has rallied the Lords against the law’s current form and seeks to exempt political, religious, and moral speech, leaving only “indecent or grossly offensive” comments prohibited.
Since the 1911 and 1949 Parliament Acts, the House of Lords cannot outright veto legislation, but they can delay it for up to a year if the government refuses to make changes.
» UK Man Charged for Quran Burning in Case Critics Call A ‘Blasphemy Law by the Back Door’
Prosecutors in the UK have charged Hamit Coskun with religiously motivated harassment after he burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London. Critics argue the charges effectively reintroduce blasphemy laws in a country that abolished them in 2008.
Background:
Coskun denies the charge and maintains the act was a political protest against Turkey’s government.
A King’s Counsel opinion shared with the National Secular Society said the charge treats “the religious institution of Islam” as a person — a legal impossibility in UK law — and would criminalize a form of expression protected under human rights law.
The NSS warned the case could set a dangerous precedent, undermining the UK’s commitment to free speech and secular governance.
The last formal blasphemy laws in England and Wales were repealed in 2008, though they remain on the books in Northern Ireland.
At UnHerd, Jacob Mchangama argues that Coskun’s prosecution signals the UK’s slow capitulation to what he calls the “Jihadist’s Veto” — where the fear of violent retaliation shapes what is legally permissible speech.
Quick Hits
State Department Launches Reporting System for ‘Anti-Christian Bias’: A new executive order from President Trump directs federal agencies to root out “anti-Christian bias,” prompting State Department to instruct employees to anonymously report colleagues suspected of such behavior.
Scientists Withdraw Evolution Paper Over Fear of Retaliation: A European evolutionary biologist withdrew a collaborative research paper after U.S.-based co-authors expressed concern that publishing the paper could jeopardize their visas or future government funding. Deep cuts to NIH grants totaling $2.4 billion, have created a chilling effect across the U.S. scientific community. Projects linked to politically sensitive topics like vaccine hesitancy, gender identity, and racial health disparities have faced cancellation.
ECOWAS Court Orders Nigeria to Amend Blasphemy Laws: In a landmark ruling, the ECOWAS Court of Justice declared key blasphemy provisions in Nigeria’s Kano State laws incompatible with international human rights standards, calling for their repeal or reform to align with protections for free expression. Kano State’s Penal Code and Sharia Penal Code provisions criminalize blasphemy, some of which even carry the death penalty.