On Thursday, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights advocacy group, initiated legal action against the Trump administration, challenging the government’s reported surveillance of social media activity by individuals legally residing in the United States.
According to the complaint, authorities are employing artificial intelligence and other techniques to monitor the online posts of nearly all non-citizens who are in the country with valid visas, as well as many lawful permanent residents. The allegations suggest that officials are searching for content that voices opinions the current administration opposes.
The legal filing asserts that prohibited posts include those that criticize American society or the U.S. government, express antisemitic or pro-Palestinian sentiments—including support for related campus demonstrations—make excuses for or downplay the killing of Charlie Kirk, or criticize the Trump administration and its policies.
EFF further claims that authorities are threatening non-citizens with consequences such as visa revocation or even detention by immigration officials.
The lawsuit references posts from the State Department’s X account, including a currently pinned thread that details visas revoked due to comments regarding Charlie Kirk.
The case was brought before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, representing the auto workers union, teachers union, and communications workers union.
EFF’s complaint argues that both the retaliatory measures and the “viewpoint-based” monitoring itself unlawfully infringe upon the unions’ members’ rights to free expression.
You can access the complete lawsuit here.
