California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside a coalition of 19 other state attorneys general, filed an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration's recent actions regarding international student visas. This coalition opposes the executive orders that allow for the cancellation and potential deportation of noncitizen students and faculty based on their expressed political views.
Attorney General Bonta highlighted the severity of the actions: “Students across the country are being aggressively targeted without notice and for no clear reason beyond the President’s political agenda, creating a culture of fear and disrupting our institutions of higher education.” He stresses that these measures infringe upon free speech rights, urging the court to halt the policy.
The policy, described as the “Ideological Deportation Policy,” stems from two Executive Orders, 14161 and 14188, directing federal agencies to screen foreign nationals based on ideological grounds. These orders also enable investigations, detentions, and deportations over political speech disagreements with the Administration.
California, deeply affected by this policy, has seen almost 100 students from its universities lose their visas. Nationally, the students contribute significantly to the economy and academia, which Attorney General Bonta and the coalition underline as essential in their brief. They argue that the policy causes irreparable harm, disrupting states' educational and economic benefits and violating First Amendment rights.
The coalition requests a preliminary injunction to halt deportations under the policy, while the litigation proceeds, asserting that these actions are contrary to public interest and harm the states.
Attorney General Bonta remains committed to defending the rights of California’s residents, emphasizing the state’s immigrant community and supporting pathways for legal immigration. He has taken part in various actions against policies deemed to undermine legal norms and protections.
The states joining California in the amicus brief include Massachusetts, Washington, Arizona, and others.