Nonprofits sue Trump administration over ICC sanctions
by Joe Fisher · UPIJuly 15 (UPI) -- Two U.S. based nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Wednesday over its sanctions against the International Criminal Court.
Democracy for the Arab World Now and the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide are suing the administration, alleging that its sanctions and threat to dismantle the ICC violate the First Amendment rights of Americans. They argue that the sanctions specifically violate the constitutional right of Americans to advocate for the human rights of Palestinians.
"The Trump administration is using the blunt instrument of economic sanctions not only to punish human rights defenders but to police the political expression of millions of Americans," Omar Shakir, executive director of DAWN, said in a statement. "The government is violating the constitutional rights of American citizens in order to shield officials of a foreign government who have committed a genocide."
The groups filed the lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court. It names President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and director of the office of foreign assets control Brad Smith as defendants.
The sanctions package unveiled under Executive Order 14203 "Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court" is the focal point of the complaint. The plaintiffs say the executive order is targeting those who have called for investigations in the ICC into the Israeli government's military operations in Gaza.
"With this executive order, Trump has put himself and those in the U.S. government above the law, shielding them from any accountability for their roles in the genocide in Palestine and Lebanon and for war crimes around the globe funded by U.S. taxpayers," Tarik Kanaana, president of TAAG, said in a statement. "As U.S. taxpayers, we have the right to hold our government accountable for how it uses this public resource. That right cannot be taken away."
The press release also cites Rubio's campaign to dismantle the ICC announced on Monday. Rubio said the campaign will be a "whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC's ability to operate," claiming that the body threatens U.S. sovereignty.
This week in Washington
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday. This is Ali al-Zaidi's first foreign trip since he took office in May 2026. Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo