Pro-Palestinian Student and Permanent US Resident Sues to Halt Deportation

Students wait in long security lines outside of Columbia University as demonstrators continue to rally in support of Palestine and to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests, outside of Columbia University on March 24, 2025 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Students wait in long security lines outside of Columbia University as demonstrators continue to rally in support of Palestine and to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests, outside of Columbia University on March 24, 2025 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Pro-Palestinian Student and Permanent US Resident Sues to Halt Deportation

Students wait in long security lines outside of Columbia University as demonstrators continue to rally in support of Palestine and to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests, outside of Columbia University on March 24, 2025 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Students wait in long security lines outside of Columbia University as demonstrators continue to rally in support of Palestine and to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests, outside of Columbia University on March 24, 2025 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

A Korean American Columbia University student, who is a legal permanent US resident and has participated in pro-Palestinian protests, sued the administration of President Donald Trump on Monday to prevent her deportation, a court filing showed.

Yunseo Chung, 21, has lived in the US since she was seven, but her legal team was informed two weeks ago that her lawful permanent resident status was being revoked, according to the court filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The Trump administration says her US presence hinders its foreign policy agenda, according to the lawsuit. Chung has not yet been arrested. Immigration agents have made multiple visits to her residences looking for her.

Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and accused them of supporting the Hamas group, of posing hurdles for US foreign policy and of being antisemitic.

Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Human rights advocates have condemned the government's moves.

Columbia protester Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested this month and is legally challenging his detention, is also a lawful permanent resident. Trump, without evidence, accused Khalil of supporting Hamas, which Khalil denies.

Actions against Chung "form part of a larger pattern of attempted US government repression of constitutionally protected protest activity and other forms of speech," Monday's lawsuit said.

"The government's repression has focused specifically on university students who speak out in solidarity with Palestinians and who are critical of the Israeli government's ongoing military campaign in Gaza."

A spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security alleged Chung has engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was arrested by police during a protest at Barnard College that DHS termed "pro-Hamas."

The spokesperson did not elaborate further on the specifics of that conduct in question but said she was "sought for removal proceedings under the immigration laws" and will have a chance to present her case before an immigration judge.

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian studying at Georgetown University, was detained last week. A federal judge barred Suri's deportation.

US officials on Friday asked Cornell University student Momodou Taal to turn himself in, Taal's attorneys said, adding his visa was being revoked.



Iran FM Araghchi Arrives in Oman Ahead of Nuclear Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
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Iran FM Araghchi Arrives in Oman Ahead of Nuclear Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman on Friday ahead of fresh nuclear talks with the United States, after both sides said progress had been made in previous rounds.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X that "Araghchi and his accompanying delegation arrived in Muscat for the third round of Iran-US talks".

Iran's Mehr news agency released a brief video showing the foreign minister disembarking from an Iranian government plane in Muscat.

Baqaei said Araghchi would be leading the delegation of diplomats and technical experts in the indirect discussions with the US side.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will represent the United States in the talks.

The latest round will include expert-level talks on Iran's nuclear program, with Michael Anton, who serves as the State Department's head of policy planning, leading the technical discussions on the US side, the department said.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that deputy foreign ministers Kazem Gharibabadi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi will lead the Iranian technical team.

Baqaei wrote on X that Iran's delegation is "resolved to secure our nation's legitimate and lawful right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes while taking reasonable steps to demonstrate that our program is entirely peaceful".

"Termination of unlawful and inhumane sanctions in an objective and speedy manner is a priority that we seek to achieve," he added.

According to Baqaei, the dialogue will again be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Saturday morning.

The meeting follows two earlier rounds of Omani-mediated negotiations in Muscat and Rome starting on April 12.

- Calling for 'goodwill' -

Since his return to office in January, Trump has reimposed sweeping sanctions under his policy of "maximum pressure" against Tehran.

In March, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei calling for talks but warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its program is for peaceful civilian purposes.

Baqaei earlier Friday said "progress in the negotiations requires the demonstration of goodwill, seriousness, and realism by the other side".

Iran will treat Saturday's talks seriously, Araghchi said in a recent interview, "and if the other party also enters seriously, there is potential for progress".

In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal signed three years earlier between Tehran and major world powers. The agreement eased sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

After Trump's pullout, Tehran complied with the agreement for a year before scaling back its compliance.

Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit in the 2015 deal but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material.

In an interview published by Time Magazine on Friday, Trump said the United States will "lead the pack" in attacking Iran if nuclear talks do not lead to a new deal.

But he expressed hope that an agreement could be reached and said he would be willing to meet Khamenei.