Attorney General Bonta Co-Leads Multistate Coalition in Defense of First Amendment Protections for Noncitizen Students and Faculty

Attorneys general urge the court to uphold First Amendment free speech protections in opposition to Trump Administration’s unconstitutional ideological deportation policy  

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside the attorneys general of Massachusetts and Washington, led a coalition of 20 state attorneys general in filing a multistate amicus brief in Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation v. Rubio in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In the brief, the attorneys general support The Stanford Daily — an independent student-run newspaper at Stanford University — in its lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its targeting and punishment of noncitizens with lawful status, especially college students and faculty who express political beliefs with which the Administration disagrees. 

“Colleges and universities are meant to be places of learning, growth, and robust civic discourse. Our international students strengthen these institutions of higher education, acting as our neighbors, friends, and pillars of our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration has implemented policies that marginalize and penalize these lawful students for expressing political beliefs that the President disagrees with. It’s chilling — and unconstitutional. California will not allow students to be silenced, and we will continue to stand up for the First Amendment right to express your beliefs.” 

In January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14161, which laid the groundwork for the Administration’s “Ideological Deportation Policy.” This order directs federal agencies to investigate, detain, and deport noncitizen students and faculty who engage in political speech with which the Administration disagrees. As a result of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order and cruel immigration enforcement policies, the Stanford Daily filed a lawsuit in August 2025 against Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing that multiple international student journalists have declined assignments, removed their bylines, or resigned entirely out of fear that their reporting could be used as grounds for deportation. 

In the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition assert that the Trump Administration’s unlawful use of ideology to arrest, detain, and deport lawful noncitizen residents threatens the economic growth and stability of the coalition states and their ability to attract diverse talent from around the world, as well as the states’ public health and safety. California has over 880,000 immigrant entrepreneurs, who contribute $24.8 billion in business income and 28 Fortune 500 companies in California were founded by immigrants and second-generation immigrants. The contributions of immigrant students and faculty go far beyond economics: They enrich academic discourse, strengthen research capabilities, and enhance the global competitiveness of the coalition states. International students studying at California colleges and universities contributed $6.4 billion to the economy and help fund the California’s higher education system which supports all California residents.

Attorney General Bonta and the coalition further argue that the Trump Administration’s ideological deportation policy is a direct violation of the First Amendment’s right to free speech. The coalition argues that if deemed lawful by the Court, the Trump Administration’s weaponization of immigration enforcement would not only undermine the purpose of higher education, but it would also hinder the states’ ability to attract the diverse talent needed to grow and sustain key industries within state and local economies.   

Attorney General Bonta is committed to upholding the rights and protections of all of California’s residents, including the nearly 11 million immigrants who call California home. In April 2025, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration’s executive orders allowing for the ideologically-motivated revocation of visas for students and faculty who exercise their free speech and association rights. Two weeks ago, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts addressed this unlawful policy, ruling that First Amendment protections apply equally to citizens and lawfully present noncitizens.  

Attorney General Bonta co-leads the amicus brief with the attorneys general of Massachusetts and Washington. They are joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the amicus brief is available here.