Tech Regulation and Social Media

Tech researchers and the Coalition for Independent Technology Research filed suit on March 9, 2026, in federal court in Washington, D.C., accusing the Trump administration — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi and outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem — of an "official policy" to deny visas or deport noncitizen scholars who work on social media, fact‑checking or other topics the administration labels "censorship," which the complaint says amounts to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. The suit says the policy has created "pervasive fear" that has chilled speech and careers — citing an adjunct who left the U.S., a permanent resident who switched to politically neutral topics, and an H‑1B professor who stopped writing op‑eds and attending public events — and notes the State, DHS and Justice Departments did not immediately comment.