The University Press signed on to an amicus brief last week in a federal lawsuit the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression filed challenging Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s use of two immigration laws. The brief, joined with the Student Press Law Center, supports student journalism and international students’ free speech rights.

On Aug. 6, FIRE filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Stanford Daily, Stanford University’s student newspaper, and two non-media plaintiffs against Rubio’s immigration laws that allow the government to revoke visas or deport noncitizens for speech protected by the First Amendment. The Stanford Daily reported that international students are becoming increasingly hesitant to speak with the student newspaper out of fear of government action. 

As editor-in-chief, I signed on behalf of Florida Atlantic University’s student newspaper after we faced a similar issue in our newsroom. We recently removed an international student’s byline from a story about a Palestine-related issue on campus to protect their immigration status. The editorial decisions dive into a growing concern in today’s political climate, where international students can face serious risks for expressing certain political ideologies. 

In the brief, 55 student news organizations and newsroom leaders joined together to show the court that this issue affects not just one campus, but student newsrooms across the country. Some international student journalists are already stepping back from covering certain topics, or from journalism altogether. This case raises tough questions for student media: how do we protect contributors while still reporting the facts? 

“When the government threatens international students for exercising their right to free speech, it doesn’t just silence those students – it undermines the core principles that make student journalism, and our democracy, possible,” said Gary Green, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, in the statement about the brief on Oct. 15. 

Michael Cook is the Editor-in-Chief for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email michael17cook@gmail.com.