Noor Abdalla

Stories

U.S. becomes first country to skip U.N. rights review twice

Pressing for a U.N. briefing on the U.S. record

On November 10, 2026, the United States left its seat empty at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review in Geneva for the second year in a row. No other of the 193 member states has skipped the review twice. The Human Rights Council responded by postponing the U.S. review to January 2027.

Updated 1 hour ago

Cold war law revived to deport campus activists

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Gave birth alone while husband was detained

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 gave the Secretary of State power to deport noncitizens whose presence threatens U.S. foreign policy. For seven decades, this Cold War-era statute gathered dust until March 8, 2025, when ICE arrested Mahmoud Khalil—a Columbia graduate student and green card holder—from his apartment for his role negotiating on behalf of pro-Palestinian protesters.

Updated May 21