Four U.S. human rights organizations have taken legal action against the Trump administration for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging 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, asserts that President Trump exceeded his powers when he authorized sanctions against ICC personnel and those supporting the court’s activities through an executive order in February 2025. These sanctions were imposed following the issuance of arrest warrants by the ICC in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza, allegations that Israel has denied.
The plaintiffs argue that the sanctions have hindered their human rights and legal work, infringing on their constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. Liz Evenson, the international justice director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized the detrimental impact of targeting the ICC’s operations through sanctions, stating that it undermines the foundation of the rule of law essential for safety and the promotion of human rights globally.
In response to inquiries about the lawsuit, a White House official criticized the ICC as politicized and accused it of overstepping its boundaries by investigating and prosecuting U.S. and allied nationals. The official reiterated the U.S.’ commitment to safeguarding sovereignty and allies against what they deem as illegitimate actions by the ICC.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, focuses on investigating and prosecuting individuals for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression. The relationship between the U.S. and the ICC has been fraught for years, with tensions escalating during the Trump administration, which targeted ICC officials with sanctions.
Last month, the U.S. government initiated an aggressive campaign against the ICC, citing it as a threat to American sovereignty. Additionally, advocacy groups in the U.S. sued the Trump administration over the ICC sanctions, alleging violations of freedom of speech and suppression of Palestinian human rights advocacy.
Furthermore, sanctioned ICC judges, including Canada’s Kimberly Prost, filed a lawsuit asserting that the sanctions are an unlawful attempt to influence judicial decision-making. The legal battle over birthright citizenship restrictions imposed by the Trump administration also continued on Tuesday, with U.S. legal groups challenging the administration’s efforts to curtail birthright citizenship despite a Supreme Court ruling against such restrictions.
The ongoing legal disputes underscore the complexities of international law and human rights in the face of political tensions and power struggles.