Four human rights organizations in the United States have taken legal action against the Trump administration for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the sanctions are illegal. The lawsuit, filed by the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and the Open Society Institute, accuses President Trump of overstepping his authority by issuing an executive order in February 2025 that allowed sanctions against ICC personnel and individuals or groups supporting the court’s activities.
The sanctions were imposed after the ICC issued arrest warrants in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza, which Israel has denied. The U.S. criticized the arrest warrants and the ICC’s investigations into American personnel in Afghanistan when announcing the sanctions.
The plaintiffs argue that the sanctions have hindered their human rights and legal work, infringing on rights protected by the U.S. Constitution, including freedom of speech. Human Rights Watch’s international justice director, Liz Evenson, stated during an online news conference that the Trump administration’s actions undermine the rule of law and human rights protection globally.
In response to inquiries about the lawsuit, a White House official emphasized the U.S. government’s stance that the ICC is politicized and wrongly claims the authority to investigate and prosecute American and allied nationals. The official reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and allies from what it perceives as illegitimate actions by the ICC.
The ICC, located in The Hague, investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression. The U.S. has had a contentious relationship with the court for years, escalating under the Trump administration, which previously sanctioned the ICC’s former chief prosecutor and judges, including Canada’s Kimberly Prost.
Recently, advocacy groups in the U.S. also sued the Trump administration over the ICC sanctions, alleging violations of freedom of speech and suppression of Palestinian human rights advocacy. The administration’s use of economic sanctions to target human rights defenders and influence political expression has drawn criticism from various quarters.
Moreover, three ICC judges, including Prost, filed a separate lawsuit in June, challenging the sanctions as an unlawful attempt to interfere with their judicial independence. The legal battles highlight the ongoing tensions between the U.S. government and the ICC regarding jurisdiction and authority.
In a related development, U.S. legal entities petitioned a judge to reaffirm that the Trump administration cannot impose restrictions on birthright citizenship. Despite a recent Supreme Court ruling rejecting attempts to deny citizenship to certain children born in the U.S., Trump issued executive orders seeking to limit birthright citizenship. Legal groups are urging the court to uphold the Supreme Court’s decision and prevent any executive actions that undermine birthright citizenship rights.