A US judge has temporarily blocked the detention of British social media campaigner Imran Ahmed, who took legal action against the US government over having his visa removed.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate founder was among five people denied US visas after the Trump administration accused them of seeking to coerce tech platforms into censoring free speech.
The move brought a backlash from European leaders defending the work of organisations monitoring online content.
Mr Ahmed, a US permanent resident, had warned that being detained and possibly deported would tear him away from his American wife and child. Praising the judge's decision, he told BBC News he would not be bullied.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that the individuals were blocked over concerns that they had organised efforts to pressure US platforms to censor and punish American viewpoints they oppose.
Mr Ahmed filed a legal complaint on Wednesday against officials including Rubio and US Attorney General Pamela Bondi over the decision to sanction him.
In court documents seen by the BBC, US District Judge Vernon S Broderick stated he granted Mr Ahmed's request for a temporary restraining order, which blocked the officials from detaining him without the chance to have his case heard.
The BBC has contacted the state department and White House for comment. A spokesperson from the state department stated that the United States is under no obligation to allow foreign citizens to enter or reside in the country.
Mr Ahmed stated, I will not be bullied away from my life's work of fighting to keep children safe from social media's harm and stopping antisemitism online. His lawyer noted the government's inability to deport a green card holder with an American family simply due to disagreements with his viewpoints.
In 2023, Mr Ahmed's center faced legal challenges from Elon Musk's social media company over a report on increasing hate speech post-Musk's takeover.
