On Wednesday night, The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. joined 54 other student news organizations and newsroom leaders in signing an amicus curiae brief filed by the Student Press Law Center in support of The Stanford Daily in Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation et al. v. Rubio.
In their lawsuit, the Daily challenges Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s use of federal immigration law to trigger deportation proceedings against international students for constitutionally protected speech.
With its signature, The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. attests to the importance of international student voices in our coverage and among our staff.
In April, the 135th Editorial Board — which oversees the paper’s newsroom operations — shared how the current spotlight on university campuses means that the voices of students, faculty and staff are more critical now than ever before. As Brown University’s paper of record, The Herald has a unique responsibility to shine light on the perspectives that shape campus life, while preserving the stories that define our current moment.
And we’ve remained committed to this goal.
Our dedicated reporters, editors and multimedia staff have documented the detainment of one of our University’s own professors, and witnessed firsthand the fear and outrage that spread throughout the campus community in the days following her deportation. Seeing other student publications report on visa revocations at their universities, we kept a close eye on their potential spread to College Hill, recording revocations at Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design and covering available resources as soon as they were announced. And just last month, when we heard reports of a detainment taking place a few steps away from Brown’s John D. Rockefeller Library, we worked to verify details and provide accurate and timely information to the College Hill community.
In the face of these contentious events, brave contributors to our opinions section have taken on the daunting task of being the first to speak out on the impact of immigration policy on our campus community. While navigating the nuance of these uncertain developments, our columnists have masterfully delivered thought-provoking pieces that help steer reflections on our nation’s values. Our editorial page board has tackled the very topic of international student speech and its importance on college campuses across the country, while also offering guidance on the steps we can take to navigate the uncertainty of our current political moment.
Still, we recognize the fear felt by many international students as our campus adjusts to the Trump administration’s policies on immigration and higher education. It is because of this very fear that The Herald remains committed to telling these stories with the rigor and care we have employed since January.
These difficult yet touching stories would not have been possible without the tireless work of our international staff, who shape our coverage through their words, photos and countless other contributions.
As we have always done, The Herald is dedicated to supporting our international staff members while telling the stories of the Brown community in the months and years to come. The Brown Daily Herald, Inc.’s signature on this amicus brief reaffirms this commitment.
You can read the full brief here.
The decision to sign onto the amicus curiae brief was made by corporate leaders of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc.:
Tom Li ’26, President
Ryan Doherty ’26, Vice President
The corporate leadership of The Brown Daily Herald Inc., is separate from The Herald’s 135th Editorial Board, which leads the newsroom.
Editors’ notes are written by the 135th Editorial Board: Tom Li ’26, Ryan Doherty ’26, Owen Dahlkamp ’26, Julianna Chang ’26, Anisha Kumar ’26 and Yael Wellisch ’26.
