Rights Groups Challenge Trump's ICC Sanctions in U.S. Federal Court

Two pro-Palestinian advocacy organizations have filed a federal lawsuit challenging U.S. sanctions tied to the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the measures violate constitutional free speech protections, Noah Hurowitz reported for The Intercept.

Advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging U.S. sanctions connected to the International Criminal Court.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in New York by Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide, seeks to overturn sanctions imposed under Executive Order 14203, signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025.

According to the complaint, the executive order authorizes sanctions against individuals or organizations involved in bringing cases before the ICC against the United States or its allies, including Israel.

The plaintiffs argue that the sanctions violate their First Amendment rights by restricting their ability to associate and collaborate with international human rights organizations.

They are seeking both a declaration that the sanctions are unconstitutional and an injunction preventing the Trump administration from enforcing them.

The legal challenge follows the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, another Israeli official, and a Hamas official over alleged crimes committed during the Gaza conflict.