On January 22, 2026, a landmark ruling in AAUP v. Rubio ordered the Trump administration to end their ideological deportation policy and to cease arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen members of the AAUP and the Middle East Studies Association (MESA). This was a huge victory over the administration’s chilling policies and a win for free speech. At the same time, the third circuit ruled that Mahmoud Khalil must exhaust his immigration court proceedings before challenging his detention in federal court. These outcomes, though not contradictory, have created a confusing legal landscape. In the meantime, the Trump administration has repeatedly shifted the goalposts relating to qualifying for visas for travel, study or work in the US with real implications for those in higher education.
Join key attorneys from AAUP v. Rubio, Mahmoud Khalil’s immigration team, and AAUP and MESA representatives to break down the outcomes of these ruling and their larger implications. We will also discuss current barriers to H-1B visa applications, the “Gold Card” phenomenon, and other attacks on immigrants in higher ed.
Speakers and moderators include:
- Veena Dubal (AAUP general counsel)
- Aslı Bali (immediate past president of MESA and professor of law at Yale)
- Ramya Krishnan (lead attorney in AAUP v. Rubio)
- Marc Van Der Hout, Lauren Gibson, and Kyra Lilien (Van Der Hout LLP Immigration and Nationality Law)