Knight First Amendment Institute
@knightcolumbia.org
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University defends the freedoms of speech & the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, policy advocacy, and public education.
https://knightcolumbia.org/
https://knightcolumbia.org/
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
They Seek to Curb Online Hate. The U.S. Accuses Them of Censorship.
www.nytimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
Just filed: Notice of Appeal to the 11th Circuit asking the court to reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s order denying the Knight Institute’s motion to intervene in Trump classified documents case.
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
United States v. Trump
knightcolumbia.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Just filed: Notice of Appeal to the 11th Circuit asking the court to reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s order denying the Knight Institute’s motion to intervene in Trump classified documents case.
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
NEW: Judge Cannon blocks release of Special Counsel's report about Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
Judge Blocks Release of Special Counsel’s Report in Trump Classified Documents Case
knightcolumbia.org
December 23, 2025 at 12:46 AM
NEW: Judge Cannon blocks release of Special Counsel's report about Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
SCOTUS has just rejected the government's application for a stay in Margolin v. NAIJ, our challenge to restrictions on the speech of immigration judges. It should reject the government's forthcoming cert petition, too. Full @knightcolumbia.org statement below. knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
Supreme Court Rejects Government’s Request to Stay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges
knightcolumbia.org
December 19, 2025 at 7:53 PM
SCOTUS has just rejected the government's application for a stay in Margolin v. NAIJ, our challenge to restrictions on the speech of immigration judges. It should reject the government's forthcoming cert petition, too. Full @knightcolumbia.org statement below. knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
SCOTUS maybe can't be blamed for not predicting exactly this, but the First Amendment was intended to prevent this outcome by heading off its beginning. Its decision upholding the TikTok ban looks worse today than ever -- as @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & I wrote:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
December 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
SCOTUS maybe can't be blamed for not predicting exactly this, but the First Amendment was intended to prevent this outcome by heading off its beginning. Its decision upholding the TikTok ban looks worse today than ever -- as @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & I wrote:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Jake Karr and @katiefallow.bsky.social on how the Trump administration has turned on its head Madison's declaration that in a republican government, “the censorial power is in the people over the Government, not in the Government over the people.”
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
James Madison would be Appalled | The Ripon Society
The Founders understood that free speech is a fundamental freedom on which our democracy rests. Restricting press access runs counter to this principle and ...
riponsociety.org
December 19, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Jake Karr and @katiefallow.bsky.social on how the Trump administration has turned on its head Madison's declaration that in a republican government, “the censorial power is in the people over the Government, not in the Government over the people.”
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The sanctions that Trump has imposed on the ICC and UN rapporteurs have been deterring American human rights advocates and scholars from exercising their First Amendment rights. This letter--obtained by @mesa1966.bsky.social & @knightcolumbia.org--should help. knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
Trump Administration Concedes That U.S. Researchers May Engage With Sanctioned U.N. Official
knightcolumbia.org
December 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
The sanctions that Trump has imposed on the ICC and UN rapporteurs have been deterring American human rights advocates and scholars from exercising their First Amendment rights. This letter--obtained by @mesa1966.bsky.social & @knightcolumbia.org--should help. knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
“The Treasury Department’s concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws,” @georgewang.bsky.social.
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
Trump Administration Concedes That U.S. Researchers May Engage With Sanctioned U.N. Official
knightcolumbia.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM
“The Treasury Department’s concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws,” @georgewang.bsky.social.
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
"Over the coming months, #SCOTUS will confront other cases in which the gov't invokes NatSec to justify the suppression of speech. ... [It] should be haunted by the #TikTok case & its ... scandalous coda," @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & @evelyndouek.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The US supreme court’s TikTok ruling is a scandal | Evelyn Douek and Jameel Jaffer
The decision means TikTok now operates under the threat that it could be forced offline with a stroke of Trump’s pen
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
"Over the coming months, #SCOTUS will confront other cases in which the gov't invokes NatSec to justify the suppression of speech. ... [It] should be haunted by the #TikTok case & its ... scandalous coda," @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & @evelyndouek.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The "embarrassing, scandalous coda" of the Supreme Court's TikTok decision--new from @evelyndouek.bsky.social and me. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The US supreme court’s TikTok ruling is a scandal | Evelyn Douek and Jameel Jaffer
The decision means TikTok now operates under the threat that it could be forced offline with a stroke of Trump’s pen
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The "embarrassing, scandalous coda" of the Supreme Court's TikTok decision--new from @evelyndouek.bsky.social and me. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
From the brief just filed by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in support of @knightcolumbia.org @weareoversight.bsky.social motions for release of Jack Smith's report. knightcolumbia.org/documents/d6...
December 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
From the brief just filed by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in support of @knightcolumbia.org @weareoversight.bsky.social motions for release of Jack Smith's report. knightcolumbia.org/documents/d6...
“The release of the report will shed light on the scope and integrity of the Special Counsel’s investigation and on the character and actions of the nation’s highest official. Judge Cannon should release [it] without further delay." @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Knight Institute Welcomes House Judiciary Committee’s Call for Release of Special Counsel’s Report in Trump Classified Documents Case
knightcolumbia.org
December 12, 2025 at 8:12 PM
“The release of the report will shed light on the scope and integrity of the Special Counsel’s investigation and on the character and actions of the nation’s highest official. Judge Cannon should release [it] without further delay." @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
A group of immigration judges on Wednesday afternoon urged the Supreme Court to leave in place a ruling by a federal appeals court that sent a dispute over a policy […]
www.scotusblog.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
JUST FILED: Our opposition—on behalf of the National Association of Immigration Judges—to the government's motion asking the Supreme Court to put on hold our challenge to a sweeping prior restraint on the speech of the nation's immigration judges.
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
December 10, 2025 at 9:02 PM
JUST FILED: Our opposition—on behalf of the National Association of Immigration Judges—to the government's motion asking the Supreme Court to put on hold our challenge to a sweeping prior restraint on the speech of the nation's immigration judges.
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
Supreme Court Should Reject Government Effort to Delay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges, Knight Institute Says. Learn more and see our statement below:
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
December 10, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Supreme Court Should Reject Government Effort to Delay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges, Knight Institute Says. Learn more and see our statement below:
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
📌 WORK WITH US: We're hiring a Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Communications, Media and Social Media Strategy. Help file precedent-setting litigation, undertake major research, and become an influential voice in debates about #freespeech in the digital age. knightcolumbia.org/page/work-wi...
| Knight First Amendment Institute
knightcolumbia.org
December 10, 2025 at 4:01 PM
📌 WORK WITH US: We're hiring a Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Communications, Media and Social Media Strategy. Help file precedent-setting litigation, undertake major research, and become an influential voice in debates about #freespeech in the digital age. knightcolumbia.org/page/work-wi...
“People who study #misinformation … aren’t engaged in ‘censorship,’” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social. “They’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect.” More from @sulliview.bsky.social in @theguardian.com. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump’s crackdown on factchecker visas won't protect free speech | Margaret Sullivan
This isn’t about defending citizens. It’s about keeping the truth – and those skilled at protecting it – at a safe distance
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM
“People who study #misinformation … aren’t engaged in ‘censorship,’” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social. “They’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect.” More from @sulliview.bsky.social in @theguardian.com. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
How can scientists make a difference when democratic norms, institutions, & rights are under threat?
Weds @ 12:30 ET join me, Jon Penney, Sarah Brayne, & @katygb.bsky.social for a @knightcolumbia.org panel on science, the courts, & chilling effects. WE NEED YOU 🫵🏽
knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
Weds @ 12:30 ET join me, Jon Penney, Sarah Brayne, & @katygb.bsky.social for a @knightcolumbia.org panel on science, the courts, & chilling effects. WE NEED YOU 🫵🏽
knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
The Science of Chilling Effects
knightcolumbia.org
December 8, 2025 at 10:35 PM
How can scientists make a difference when democratic norms, institutions, & rights are under threat?
Weds @ 12:30 ET join me, Jon Penney, Sarah Brayne, & @katygb.bsky.social for a @knightcolumbia.org panel on science, the courts, & chilling effects. WE NEED YOU 🫵🏽
knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
Weds @ 12:30 ET join me, Jon Penney, Sarah Brayne, & @katygb.bsky.social for a @knightcolumbia.org panel on science, the courts, & chilling effects. WE NEED YOU 🫵🏽
knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
📍12/10 WEBINAR: How can we know if a particular law or policy has chilled people’s free expression? Join a conversation with social scientists and legal scholars, will focus on efforts to detect and measure chilling effects using scientific methods. RSVP here: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
The Science of Chilling Effects
knightcolumbia.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
📍12/10 WEBINAR: How can we know if a particular law or policy has chilled people’s free expression? Join a conversation with social scientists and legal scholars, will focus on efforts to detect and measure chilling effects using scientific methods. RSVP here: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
This is a First Amendment case, and an extremely wonky one at that.
The real reason the Trump administration is fighting this ruling is that so many federal workers with labor protections are fighting their terminations on constitutional grounds, it wants them all before a board under its control.
The real reason the Trump administration is fighting this ruling is that so many federal workers with labor protections are fighting their terminations on constitutional grounds, it wants them all before a board under its control.
JUST IN: Chief Justice John Roberts puts temp. hold on 4th Circuit ruling in immigration judges' challenge to policy limiting their speech re: work matters. Trump admin wants case sent to MSPB & out of district court. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
25A662 Admin Stay and CFR
www.documentcloud.org
December 6, 2025 at 4:15 PM
This is a First Amendment case, and an extremely wonky one at that.
The real reason the Trump administration is fighting this ruling is that so many federal workers with labor protections are fighting their terminations on constitutional grounds, it wants them all before a board under its control.
The real reason the Trump administration is fighting this ruling is that so many federal workers with labor protections are fighting their terminations on constitutional grounds, it wants them all before a board under its control.
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
Next Wednesday 12/10, 12:30 ET: Join our @knightcolumbia.org webinar to hear @natematias.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @sarahbrayne.bsky.social talk about using social science to study chilling effects, and how courts use this kind of evidence: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
The Science of Chilling Effects
knightcolumbia.org
December 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Next Wednesday 12/10, 12:30 ET: Join our @knightcolumbia.org webinar to hear @natematias.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @sarahbrayne.bsky.social talk about using social science to study chilling effects, and how courts use this kind of evidence: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
This is a hugely important job at @knightcolumbia.org, and an opportunity to help chart the course of an unusually dynamic, effective organization that is already a leading defender of democratic rights, institutions, and values. Please send good people our way! knightcolumbia.org/page/chief-o...
December 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is a hugely important job at @knightcolumbia.org, and an opportunity to help chart the course of an unusually dynamic, effective organization that is already a leading defender of democratic rights, institutions, and values. Please send good people our way! knightcolumbia.org/page/chief-o...
“People who study misinformation and work on content-moderation teams aren’t engaged in ‘censorship’ — they’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect. This policy is incoherent and unconstitutional,” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social.
Trump admin may deny H-1B visas to people who worked in content moderation, report says
Trump admin may deny H-1B visas to people who worked in content moderation, report says
The admin says officials should consider rejecting content moderators.
www.theverge.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:16 PM
“People who study misinformation and work on content-moderation teams aren’t engaged in ‘censorship’ — they’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect. This policy is incoherent and unconstitutional,” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social.
📍NEXT WEDNESDAY 12/10 at 12:30pm ET: Join a conversation with social scientists and legal scholars focused on efforts to detect and measure chilling effects using scientific methods, how evidence produced by social science is evaluated in court, and more. RSVP: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
The Science of Chilling Effects
knightcolumbia.org
December 5, 2025 at 3:08 PM
📍NEXT WEDNESDAY 12/10 at 12:30pm ET: Join a conversation with social scientists and legal scholars focused on efforts to detect and measure chilling effects using scientific methods, how evidence produced by social science is evaluated in court, and more. RSVP: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-s...
"People who study #misinformation and work on content-moderation teams aren’t engaged in ‘censorship’— they’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect. This policy is incoherent and unconstitutional," says @carriedecell.bsky.social. knightcolumbia.org/content/new-...
New Trump Administration Visa Vetting Policy Targeting Online Trust and Safety Workers is Unconstitutional, Knight Institute Says
knightcolumbia.org
December 4, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"People who study #misinformation and work on content-moderation teams aren’t engaged in ‘censorship’— they’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect. This policy is incoherent and unconstitutional," says @carriedecell.bsky.social. knightcolumbia.org/content/new-...