Four U.S. human rights organizations have taken legal action against President Donald Trump’s administration, alleging that the sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court (ICC) are illegal. The American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and the Open Society Institute filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. They claim that Trump overstepped his authority by signing an executive order in February 2025 that allowed sanctions against ICC personnel and individuals or entities supporting the court. These sanctions were initiated following the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant on allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, which Israel has denied.
The lawsuit argues that the sanctions have impeded their human rights and legal activities, infringing on rights safeguarded by the U.S. Constitution, including freedom of speech. Liz Evenson, the international justice director at Human Rights Watch, stated during an online news conference that the Trump administration’s actions undermine the rule of law essential for safety and the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. The White House responded to CBC’s inquiry about the lawsuit by stating that the ICC is politicized and wrongly claims unrestricted authority to investigate, charge, and prosecute U.S. nationals and allies. The U.S. government has intensified efforts to “dismantle” the ICC, citing a threat to American sovereignty.
Moreover, U.S. legal groups have petitioned a judge to clarify that the Trump administration cannot impose restrictions on birthright citizenship. This filing comes after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the administration’s bid to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to unauthorized or temporary immigrant parents. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, Trump issued executive orders aiming to limit birthright citizenship, prompting concerns from civil liberties organizations about potential citizenship stripping. The ACLU and other groups have urged the court to affirm that citizenship cannot be revoked through executive orders or other assertions of Executive power over birthright citizenship.