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A US federal judge in New York has temporarily barred the Trump administration from imposing sanctions on two American organizations that support the International Criminal Court's investigation of alleged war crimes in Gaza, according to a New York Times report.

Judge Jesse M. Furman of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG). He found that the executive order authorizing the sanctions likely violated the groups' freedom of speech protections under the First Amendment. Furman declined the plaintiffs' request to declare the order unconstitutional and to block the sanctions worldwide. He instructed both sides to submit a joint letter by next Tuesday before he rules on a permanent injunction and a final decision.

The sanctions policy followed an ICC arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in November 2024. DAWN and TAAG were listed after submitting documents to the court alleging Israeli war crimes in Gaza. DAWN President Omar Shakir said the ruling significantly checked the administration's efforts to shield officials from accountability.

Key Takeaways

• A federal judge temporarily halted US sanctions on DAWN and TAAG over their support for the ICC Gaza investigation.
• The court found the sanctions order likely violated First Amendment free speech rights, but refused to block the measures globally.
• The case stems from Trump's February 2025 executive order targeting those involved in ICC probes seen as threatening US and allied security.