The Dickinsonian has signed an amicus brief organized by the Student Press Law Center supporting The Stanford Daily in Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation et al. v. Rubio et al. On October 15, The Dickinsonian joined 54 other student media organizations from across the country to sign the brief.
In August, The Stanford Daily, partnered with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, sued Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, and Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security.
Their lawsuit “challenges two federal immigration laws that allow the government to revoke non-U.S. citizens’ visas for protected speech, including speech in student papers,” according to The Stanford Daily. This includes cases including Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, the latter of whom was targeted earlier in the year specifically because of her activism through The Tufts Daily.
The Stanford Daily has had to withdraw bylines from articles and has had international students stop contributing to the paper altogether because of the fear they might be similarly targeted, problems with which The Dickinsonian has also contended with, even prior to Trump’s second presidential term.
An amicus brief is a document that supports a particular party in a lawsuit, although it is not part of the suit itself. The Student Press Law Center is one of the top organizations dedicated to defending the first amendment rights of student journalists and student media groups nationwide.
After receiving the invitation to join the amicus brief several weeks ago, the Dickinsonian editorial board deliberated whether or not to sign.
Managing Editor Ella Sizemore ’28 said, “I felt excited about having the opportunity to support an important movement, however I also had initial hesitations due to the nature of the current Trump administration…I did not want to bring added attention to campus.”
Sizemore and Editor-in-Chief Kimberly Tyson ’26 met with Dickinson’s Office of General Counsel to understand the legal obligations that signing the brief might entail, and te ramifications it might have on the Dickinson community.
Ultimately, the editorial board unanimously agreed that to do so would align with the paper’s values and was an important opportunity to participate in tangible, actionable support for a free press, but importantly, international students on campus.
With an international student population of 14%, it remains a priority of The Dickinsonian to support and advocate for international students. Students who would like to share ongoing issues or experiences on campus can reach out to the editorial board at [email protected], or fill out the anonymous tip form linked here.
