Four U.S.-based human rights organizations have taken legal action against the Trump administration for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging that the sanctions are illegal. The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York by the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and the Open Society Institute.
The legal challenge claims that President Trump overstepped his authority by issuing an executive order in February 2025 that authorized sanctions against ICC personnel, as well as foreign individuals or groups supporting the court. These sanctions were prompted by the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza, allegations that Israel has denied.
Critics argue that the sanctions have hindered their ability to engage in human rights and legal activities, infringing on constitutional rights such as freedom of speech. Human Rights Watch’s international justice director, Liz Evenson, emphasized that targeting the ICC through these sanctions undermines the rule of law and global human rights protection efforts.
In response to inquiries about the lawsuit, a White House official described the ICC as politicized and accused it of attempting to prosecute U.S. and allied nationals without restraint. The official affirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and allies from what it perceives as illegitimate actions by the ICC.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, is responsible for investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression. The court’s relationship with the U.S. has been contentious for many years, with tensions escalating notably during the Trump administration, which sanctioned ICC officials including judges and prosecutors.
Additionally, advocacy groups have challenged the Trump administration’s sanctions on the ICC, alleging that these actions impede freedom of speech and target Palestinian human rights advocacy. Separately, sanctioned ICC judges, including Canada’s Kimberly Prost, have filed a lawsuit arguing that the sanctions are an unlawful attempt to influence their judicial independence.
In a related legal development, U.S. legal organizations have petitioned a judge to affirm that the Trump administration cannot restrict birthright citizenship. This filing follows the administration’s issuance of executive orders seeking to limit birthright citizenship despite a recent Supreme Court ruling rejecting such limitations. The groups argue that these orders circumvent the Supreme Court’s decision and urge the court to uphold the protection of citizenship rights.
