Latest news with #ACLUofNewHampshire
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge denies bid to reconsider injunction for Chinese student
A federal judge denied a request by the U.S. Department of Justice to reconsider a preliminary injunction allowing a Dartmouth College doctoral student from China to continue his studies while a likely lengthy court battle plays out. Xiaotian Liu, 26, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration last month after a student immigration status was abruptly terminated. Dartmouth barred Liu from doing research until he got temporary relief as the case proceeds. Judge Samantha Elliott denied the DOJ's motion for reconsideration last Friday, according to court documents, citing the standard for reconsideration 'and when evaluated as if it has been considered prior to the issuance of the order.' Motions to revoke or modify the preliminary injunction will be considered based on new evidence, Elliott said. Liu, 26, worked with the ACLU of New Hampshire and the Shaheen & Gordon law firm to file the suit against Kristi Noem, U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, and Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in federal court after Dartmouth halted his research. The dispute comes after Liu was notified that his non-immigrant student status was terminated in a Homeland Security database, known as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Last month, Elliott granted Liu's request for the preliminary injunction. The injunction will remain in effect until further ordered by the court, according to the court records. The DOJ claims Liu was unable to show irreparable harm and provided Liu and his lawyers with a policy regarding terminations, according to the motion. 'The policy indicates that the (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) 'can terminate records for a variety of reasons' and that 'termination does not always result in an adverse impact on the student,'' the motion for reconsideration reads. 'The policy applies to Mr. Liu.' The ACLU of New Hampshire opposed the motion to reconsider.
CNN
12-02-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Two transgender girls sue to challenge Trump's executive order banning them from girls' school sports
Two transgender girls who attend high school in New Hampshire challenged the Trump administration's recent executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in girls' sports, according to a court filing. The teens, Parker Tirrell, 16, and Iris Turmelle, 15, previously sued New Hampshire education officials over a state law prohibiting them from competing on girls' sports teams at their public high schools. On Wednesday, their attorneys GLAD Law and the ACLU of New Hampshire filed an amended complaint asking the court to expand the case nationally to challenge Trump's executive order. Chris Erchull, senior staff attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, one of the plaintiffs' representatives, said the executive order and others 'amount to a coordinated campaign to prevent transgender people from functioning in society.' 'School sports are an important part of education — something no child should be denied simply because of who they are,' Erchull said in a news release. 'Our clients Parker and Iris simply want to go to school, learn, and play on teams with their peers.' Last week, Trump signed an executive order titled 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' and declared, 'The war on women's sports is over.' The order threatens to rescind federal funding from educational programs that allow transgender girls to participate in girls' sports, in part by using Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education. Other executive orders in the first few weeks of the Trump administration have targeted transgender women in the military and in the federal prison system. Those have similarly faced legal challenges; a federal judge last week blocked the administration from enforcing the order seeking to have transgender women detained in men's prison facilities. The participation of transgender girls and women in sports has raised questions about the balance between inclusion and fairness on the playing field. Twenty-five states across the country have passed laws banning transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank. According to the lawsuit, Parker plays on her high school's soccer team, and Iris wants to try out for her school's tennis team. A news release from the two includes quotes explaining in simple language why they want to play sports. 'I love playing soccer and we had a great season last fall,' said Parker. 'I just want to go to school like other kids and keep playing the game I love.' 'The chance to try out for tennis means new teammates, new friends, and a sense of fun and belonging,' Iris said. 'I just want the same opportunities as other girls at my school.' Their suit against the New Hampshire law remains ongoing. In September, a US District Court ordered the state to allow both teens to play sports with the girls' team while the litigation plays out. This story has been updated with new information. CNN's Nic F. Anderson contributed to this report.
