Labor unions sue Trump administration over social media surveillance of noncitizens, claiming it's a First Amendment assault.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the labor movement, a group of unions has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that its social media surveillance program is an unconstitutional attack on free speech. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, representing the American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, and United Auto Workers, has sued in federal court in New York to block the administration's efforts.
The suit claims that union members are being "chilled" by the threat of immigration action if their speech is deemed objectionable, forcing them to limit their activities out of fear of retribution. This chilling effect is allegedly being perpetuated through the administration's practice of scouring social media platforms for posts that can be used as evidence against visa holders and other immigrants who are in the country legally.
The lawsuit also seeks to purge any records created under the program, citing its infringement on the First Amendment rights of all Americans. The Trump administration has long been accused of targeting critics through this program, including revoking visas over social media posts that criticized Israel or prominent figures like Charlie Kirk.
Critics argue that the administration's actions represent a brazen assault on free speech, with some even warning that U.S. citizens may also be targeted due to their views. Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent on this issue, despite having previously promoted conspiracy theories about social media censorship under the Biden administration.
The State Department has insisted that its surveillance program is necessary for national security, but this stance appears to contradict previous court rulings that have protected the First Amendment rights of noncitizens. As one official noted, "aliens do not have the same First Amendment rights as American citizens."
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the labor movement, a group of unions has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that its social media surveillance program is an unconstitutional attack on free speech. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, representing the American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, and United Auto Workers, has sued in federal court in New York to block the administration's efforts.
The suit claims that union members are being "chilled" by the threat of immigration action if their speech is deemed objectionable, forcing them to limit their activities out of fear of retribution. This chilling effect is allegedly being perpetuated through the administration's practice of scouring social media platforms for posts that can be used as evidence against visa holders and other immigrants who are in the country legally.
The lawsuit also seeks to purge any records created under the program, citing its infringement on the First Amendment rights of all Americans. The Trump administration has long been accused of targeting critics through this program, including revoking visas over social media posts that criticized Israel or prominent figures like Charlie Kirk.
Critics argue that the administration's actions represent a brazen assault on free speech, with some even warning that U.S. citizens may also be targeted due to their views. Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent on this issue, despite having previously promoted conspiracy theories about social media censorship under the Biden administration.
The State Department has insisted that its surveillance program is necessary for national security, but this stance appears to contradict previous court rulings that have protected the First Amendment rights of noncitizens. As one official noted, "aliens do not have the same First Amendment rights as American citizens."
I think it's pretty messed up that they're surveilling social media for people who aren't even US citizens! 
It's like, shouldn't we be more worried about domestic surveillance than foreign? 
And what's next, are they gonna start monitoring our online activity too just because we have opinions that might be different from the government? 
I don't think this is about national security at all, it's just a way to silence dissent and chill free speech. We need to stand up for ourselves and not let politicians dictate what we can and can't say online! 
. The idea that a union is suing the government over social media surveillance of noncitizens because it's a First Amendment assault makes total sense to me. Like, who wouldn't want their speech to be protected? I don’t know about the specifics of the program but if there’s even a hint of retribution for non-Americans' opinions, that’s just crazy 
.
I don’t want to speculate but it feels like this program could be a slippery slope.
. If you ask me, it's a slippery slope - once you start surveilling people's online activity, how do you know what's "objectionable" and what's not? 
It's time for our lawmakers to step in and put a stop to this kind of overreach. We need more transparency and accountability, not less. 
. Like, how are they going to stop someone from saying something on social media that's against their country? That's kinda what freedom of speech is all about, right? It's not like it's some secret program that only targets certain people, it's just regular ol' Americans being loud and opinionated online.
. No thanks, I'll just keep on posting away 
.
and meanwhile, they're gonna purge records of union members being monitored because... freedom of speech? 
it's all about finding a balance between national security and not being a dystopian nightmare. But hey, at least our rights are protected by the First Amendment, right? 
And what about the First Amendment rights of all Americans, not just noncitizens? It's like they're saying one rule for us and another for everyone else.
I'm telling ya, this is just another example of how they're watching our every move online 
. They're basically saying that if you post something on social media that's not approved by the powers that be, you might get deported or worse 
. And now these labor unions are suing them? It's about time someone stood up for free speech 
. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start monitoring our every move in the streets too? 
. Mark my words, this just scratches the surface of their surveillance plans 
. This whole social media surveillance thing is super sketchy 
. I mean, who needs that kinda stress in their life? It's bad enough you're worried about getting called out for your views online, now you gotta worry about the government taking note too 
. Can't we just be able to express ourselves without fear of retribution? 
. The Trump administration just says it's for national security, but what about our rights as citizens? This lawsuit is long overdue and I'm hopin' it gets resolved ASAP 
.