Imran Ahmed, a British national and head of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration in a New York district court. Ahmed described the U.S. visa ban imposed on him as unconstitutional and an attempt to expel him from the country. The State Department recently announced that five European figures involved in technology regulation, including Ahmed, would be denied visas, accusing them of pressuring U.S. social media platforms to censor views they dislike.

The European Union and several member states have strongly condemned the decision, pledging to defend Europe’s regulatory autonomy. Ahmed, a U.S. green card holder and permanent resident, named Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants. A district judge has temporarily barred his arrest or detention, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for next Monday.

The State Department has maintained its position, stating that the Supreme Court and Congress have repeatedly affirmed that the U.S. has no obligation to allow foreign nationals to enter or reside in the country.