Tech researchers sue Trump administration over visa restrictions on online safety workers
A legal challenge argues that immigration bans targeting fact-checkers and trust and safety experts violate free speech and due process rights.
The Coalition for Independent Technology Research has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that visa restrictions imposed by the State Department violate the free speech and due process rights of foreign-born tech researchers. The coalition argues the policy, which bars individuals involved in fact-checking and online trust and safety, is being used to punish dissent and stifle independent research into content moderation and disinformation.
The legal challenge, heard in court last week, names Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and former Attorney General Pam Bondi as defendants. The plaintiffs seek to strike down the policy and halt visa restrictions while the case proceeds. The Coalition for Independent Technology Research is represented by Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute and the legal nonprofit Protect Democracy.
The State Department claims authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to render inadmissible aliens whose entry would have “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” The administration argues the policy targets conduct assisting foreign censorship rather than speech itself. In response to the lawsuit, the US government has filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that aliens involved in censoring American citizens must face appropriate consequences and that an American visa is a privilege, not a right.
The policy has already been applied to revoke visas for Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his allies in July 2025. In December 2025, the State Department issued instructions to reject H-1B visa applications from individuals working in fact-checking and online trust and safety. Five Europeans were banned in December 2025: Imran Ahmed (Center for Countering Digital Hate), Clare Melford (Global Disinformation Index), Thierry Breton (former EU commissioner), and Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg (HateAid).
The outcome of the case may ultimately affect how much the public knows about the risks of social media and AI. Nicole Schneidman, head of Protect Democracy’s technology and data governance team, notes that the workers bringing this suit serve a critical function in educating the public and holding tech companies accountable. The judge has not yet ruled on the motion to dismiss or the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction.
