Human Rights Groups Sue Trump Over ICC Sanctions

Four human rights organizations filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday challenging sanctions imposed by the Donald Trump administration against the International Criminal Court. The plaintiffs, which include Human Rights Watch, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Open Society Institute, and the American Friends Service Committee, argue that a February 2025 executive order targeting ICC officials and judges violates First and Fifth Amendment rights.

The sanctions were issued in retaliation for ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. The legal challenge follows similar actions taken by sanctioned ICC judges and Palestinian advocacy groups.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expanded the administration's efforts by pressuring ICC member states to withdraw from the court to protect U.S. sovereignty. The plaintiffs characterize these measures as an illegal attempt to obstruct international justice and criminalize advocates and victims.