红杏视频

NEW YORK 鈥� Today, the full en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit announced it will re-hear an appeal of the district court鈥檚 March 2025 order releasing Columbia University graduate student Mohsen Mahdawi from immigration detention on bail and barring the government from detaining or deporting him. With the district court鈥檚 decision in April of 2025, Mr. Mahdawi was released on bail following his arrest by immigration agents at his citizenship interview and subsequent two weeks of detention. This July, a three-judge Second Circuit panel ruled that the lower court鈥檚 order should be overturned, without evaluating the merits of his constitutional claims, because they held the federal court did not have jurisdiction to consider ordering Mr. Mahdawi鈥檚 release while his immigration proceedings were ongoing. But now the Second Circuit will re-hear the appeal as a full body. 鈥淲e are thrilled to have the chance to continue defending our client鈥檚 constitutional rights and the importance of habeas corpus before the full Second Circuit,鈥� said Brett Max Kaufman, senior counsel with 红杏视频鈥檚 Center for Democracy. 鈥淭he government has claimed a terrifying power to punish Mohsen Mahdawi simply because they do not like what he has to say about Palestine, and he deserves the right to challenge that perverse idea in federal court without waiting for the government鈥檚 own lengthy administrative process to play out. The courts cannot give the government a blank check to lock up any noncitizen, including to censor and punish their lawful speech, with no federal court having the power to intervene for months or years.鈥� The initial three-judge panel of the Second Circuit ruled that, despite being detained for over two weeks in retaliation for his advocacy of Palestinian rights, the district court was not able to release Mr. Mahdawi while this immigration case continued. The panel would have forced him to remain in immigration detention for the months or years it takes an immigration case to play out, before being able to raise his constitutional arguments in a federal court. Today鈥檚 order from the Second Circuit means the full court will rehear the case and issue a new decision. 鈥淭he Second Circuit鈥檚 decision to rehear this case renews my faith in the justice system, and I have faith that the full court will correct the error of the earlier ruling,鈥� said Mohsen Mahdawi, who has been a lawful permanent resident for more than a decade. 鈥淭he previous ruling handed the government a dangerous power: to intimidate, to censor, to punish dissent. My life has followed the path of peacefully advocating for justice and liberation 鈥� for the Palestinian people, and for people across the world 鈥� and I was detained for doing just that. This is not my struggle alone. The promise of America is that a person may dissent without fear, and that promise is the founding principle of this land I call home. The struggle continues: to restore constitutional rights at home, to secure dignity and equality for everyone, and with this case, to ensure that First Amendment rights are protected.鈥� The Second Circuit鈥檚 en banc rehearing order comes in Mr. Mahdawi鈥檚 habeas case challenging the government鈥檚 attempt to put him in immigration detention in retaliation for his First Amendment-protected speech. Separately, he is fighting the government鈥檚 deportation case seeking to remove him from the country. In February, immigration judge Nina Froes dismissed the deportation case against Mr. Mahdawi on the grounds that the government failed to authenticate a memo purportedly from Marco Rubio that declared Mr. Mahdawi deportable under the 鈥渇oreign policy ground鈥� of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The government appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is part of the Department of Justice. The BIA held that Mr. Mahdawi was removable and remanded proceedings to the immigration court. Because the Trump administration had fired Froes, in line with the administration鈥檚 larger efforts to use the immigration court system to accelerate deportations, the case was sent to a new immigration judge, who issued an order of removal. Mr. Mahdawi again appealed to the BIA, which is currently considering the appeal. Mr. Mahdawi is represented in his habeas case by Cyrus Mehta and David Isaacson of Cyrus D. Mehta Partners, PLLC; Luna Droubi, Matthew Melewski, and Tala Alfoqaha of Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP; Andrew Delaney of Martin Delaney & Ricci Law Group; CLEAR; the 红杏视频; and the 红杏视频 of Vermont.

Tennessee's execution policies prevent the press from witnessing critical stages before and after a state execution. However, the public needs to know how they work鈥攐r don't work鈥攖o participate in informed public debate. The 红杏视频's State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the 红杏视频 of Tennessee, filed an amicus brief explaining why a provision in the Tennessee Constitution that guarantees access to government proceedings requires greater press access to executions.

BREWER, Maine 鈥� In a victory for free speech, Amanda McGonigle, creator of the social media accounts @CatsOnACouch, was allowed to attend Vice President Vance鈥檚 official speaking engagement in Brewer, Maine today. McGonigle entered without interference after the 红杏视频 and 红杏视频 of Maine filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to allow her to attend future official vice-presidential events. The government agreed she could attend the event today in Maine, just like any other member of the public who registered. Given this agreement, the court denied the motion, and McGonigle successfully attended today鈥檚 event. 鈥淚 was just allowed entrance into Vice President Vance鈥檚 event after I sued the government for preventing me from entering the last public event he did in Maine," said Amanda McGonigle. 鈥淭he government can鈥檛 exclude me from official vice-presidential events otherwise open to the public just because I mock people in positions of power on the internet. I have as much right to attend these events as people who haven't called out the vice president for having the charisma of a soggy unsalted rice cake online.鈥� The filing comes after McGonigle registered to attend a vice-presidential event in Maine in May and complied with all advance guest guidance provided by the Executive Office of the President. While in line for the event, armed Secret Service agents and other government officials identified her in the line and told her she wasn鈥檛 allowed in because 鈥渨e know where you stand.鈥� She was also denied guest details to attend an event that was open for registration by the public in Des Moines, Iowa. 鈥淭he First Amendment protects Amanda鈥檚 right to attend public vice-presidential events just like anyone else, no matter how many cat jokes she makes at the vice president鈥檚 expense,鈥� said Anahita Sotoohi, staff attorney with the 红杏视频 of Maine. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate that Amanda had to file a lawsuit to vindicate this right, but we are glad to see the federal government finally acknowledge and respect her right to attend the Brewer event. Amanda should also be able to attend similar events in the future. No matter who is in power, the Constitution protects every person鈥檚 right to publicly joke, mock, insult, and dissent.鈥� McGonigle filed suit earlier this summer to challenge the government鈥檚 retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination against her. McGonigle claimed that she was excluded from the May event in Bangor, Maine, and another event in Des Moines, because of commentary she posts on her social media accounts, which are dedicated to criticizing the Vice President. She launched her @CatsOnACouch accounts after Vice President Vance鈥檚 infamous 鈥渃hildless cat lady鈥� comment in 2024, and she says the purpose of the account is 鈥渢o have more followers than JD Vance by the time he leaves office and to troll him mercilessly every single day.鈥� 鈥淭he government cannot prohibit people from attending vice-presidential events on the basis of their protected speech,鈥� said Laura Moraff, staff attorney with the 红杏视频. 鈥淲e鈥檙e glad the federal government recognized that Amanda has the right to attend today's Brewer event just like everyone else who registered, and we hope the government continues to stand down and not interfere with our client鈥檚 right to criticize and joke.鈥� The 红杏视频 and the 红杏视频 of Maine filed the suit on behalf of McGonigle in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine in early July. The complaint alleges that McGonigle鈥檚 First Amendment rights were violated when she was excluded from vice presidential events because of her speech and political views.

PORTLAND, Maine 鈥� Amanda McGonigle, creator of the social media accounts @CatsOnACouch, asked the court today to step in to allow her to attend future official vice-presidential events, including Vice President Vance鈥檚 upcoming speaking engagement in Brewer, Maine on Monday, for which McGonigle registered. In May of this year, McGonigle registered to attend an official vice-presidential event in Bangor, Maine but was prevented from entering the event. While in line for that event, armed Secret Service agents and other government officials called her out by name and told her she wasn鈥檛 allowed in because 鈥渨e know where you stand.鈥� McGonigle is asking a court today to ensure that she is able to attend future events, like the upcoming event in Brewer, without interference, so that she can listen to the Vice President鈥檚 remarks, express her views as an audience member, and report on the event for her millions of social media followers. 鈥淟ast time I went to Maine to hear what the Vice President had to say, I was singled out by armed guards and prohibited from attending,鈥� said Amanda McGonigle. 鈥淎ll I want is to attend these events in peace, just like all the other people in line who haven鈥檛 compared the Vice President to a sentient jar of mayonnaise online.鈥� McGonigle filed suit earlier this summer to challenge the government鈥檚 retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination against her. McGonigle claimed that she was excluded from the Bangor event, and another event in Des Moines, because of commentary she posts on her social media accounts, which are dedicated to criticizing the Vice President. She launched her @CatsOnACouch accounts after Vice President Vance鈥檚 infamous 鈥渃hildless cat lady鈥� comment in 2024, and she says the purpose of the account is 鈥渢o have more followers than JD Vance by the time he leaves office and to troll him mercilessly every single day.鈥� 鈥淣o matter who is in power, the Constitution protects our right to publicly joke, mock, insult, and dissent,鈥� said Anahita Sotoohi staff attorney with the 红杏视频 of Maine. 鈥淭he government is on notice that our client knows her First Amendment rights and will fight in court to enforce them. Using humor and satire to criticize elected officials is a long-standing tradition and the First Amendment secures Amanda鈥檚 right to continue in that tradition. It's a testament to the power of speech and the power of laughter that Vance is attempting to silence someone over a cat-themed social media account.鈥� The 红杏视频 and the 红杏视频 of Maine filed the suit on behalf of McGonigle in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine in early July. The complaint alleges that McGonigle鈥檚 First Amendment rights were violated when she was excluded from vice presidential events because of her speech and political views. 鈥淭he First Amendment protects our client鈥檚 criticism of the federal government as well as her satirical cat content,鈥� said Laura Moraff, staff attorney with the 红杏视频. 鈥淢s. McGonigle has every right to register for and attend official vice-presidential events, just like any other member of the public.鈥� You can read today鈥檚 filing here, Amanda鈥檚 declaration here, and more about the case here.