UK-based anti-disinformation chief sues Trump administration over US visa ban

The head of a leading anti-disinformation organisation has taken legal action against the Trump administration after being targeted by a US visa ban, describing the move as an unconstitutional attempt to remove him from the country.

Imran Ahmed, a British national who leads the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), filed a lawsuit in a New York district court challenging the decision by the US State Department to deny him entry and residency rights. Ahmed, who holds permanent US residency, was named this week among five European figures involved in technology regulation whom Washington accused of seeking to pressure American social media companies into censoring views they oppose.

The lawsuit names Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants. Ahmed argues that the measures expose him to the risk of arrest, detention and expulsion despite his legal status as a green card holder.

A district judge has granted a temporary restraining order preventing Ahmed’s arrest or detention, with a further hearing scheduled for next week.

In a statement, Ahmed said the action had separated him from his family during the Christmas period. “I am proud to call the United States my home. My wife and daughter are American, and instead of spending Christmas with them, I am fighting to prevent my unlawful deportation,” he said.

The State Department defended its position, insisting that the US is not obliged to admit or allow foreign nationals to remain in the country.

Officials have argued that Ahmed played a central role in efforts under the previous Biden administration to use government power against US citizens, an allegation he strongly denies.

Ahmed has been a vocal critic of major technology companies and their leadership, including billionaire Elon Musk, particularly over online misinformation, hate speech and the safety of children on digital platforms. He said his work had repeatedly put him at odds with powerful figures in the tech industry but insisted he would not be intimidated into abandoning his mission.

The visa restrictions have also been imposed on several other prominent European figures, including former European commissioner Thierry Breton, senior figures from the German nonprofit HateAid, and the head of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index.

The European Commission condemned the US move, saying it was seeking clarification from Washington and would act to defend Europe’s regulatory independence if necessary. Breton, who previously oversaw EU digital policy, was closely associated with the Digital Services Act, which sets content moderation and transparency obligations for major online platforms operating in Europe.

The legislation has been fiercely criticised by US conservatives, who view it as an instrument of censorship, a claim Brussels has rejected. The dispute has added to growing transatlantic tensions over technology regulation, free speech and the power of social media platforms.

With PTI inputs