WASHINGTON, (WOWO): Two prominent human rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, claiming that the Trump administration’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) illegally restrict their ability to advocate for Palestinians.
The lawsuit, filed in a Manhattan federal court by the organizations Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and the Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide, targets top administration officials. The groups argue they have been forced to censor their own operations and halt vital collaborative efforts to avoid severe White House penalties.
An executive order enacted last year targeted the Hague-based ICC over its investigations into alleged war crimes during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. However, the order also warned of significant consequences for any third parties providing “goods or services” to any sanctioned entities or individuals.
The plaintiffs argue that the broad definition of “services” has created a severe chilling effect, forcing them to stop submitting evidence to the ICC, halt joint advocacy campaigns with Middle Eastern non-governmental organizations, and cut professional ties with sanctioned individuals—including Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza.
“The Trump administration is using the blunt instrument of economic sanctions not only to punish human rights defenders but to police the political expressions of millions of Americans,” said Omar Shakir, executive director of DAWN.
The White House has not yet commented on the pending litigation.
The conflict stems from the ICC’s 2024 decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant—a move Netanyahu called “absurd.” Because neither the United States nor Israel are member nations of the ICC, the U.S. does not recognize the court’s authority.
The administration has heavily defended its actions against the tribunal. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, vowed that the administration would “dismantle the ICC—brick by brick, if necessary.” Rubio warned that allowing the court’s jurisdiction to go unchecked could eventually expose U.S. Marines, federal prosecutors, and Border Patrol agents to foreign prosecution.
The State Department has indicated that the ongoing pressure campaign against the ICC could expand to include additional financial sanctions, visa revocations, and travel bans for court employees.
