Four U.S. human rights organizations have taken legal action against President Donald Trump’s administration for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging that the sanctions are illegal. The American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and the Open Society Institute jointly filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit contends that Trump overstepped his authority by issuing an executive order in February 2025 that allowed sanctions against ICC personnel, as well as foreign individuals or entities supporting the court. These sanctions were imposed following the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza, charges which Israel has denied.
The plaintiffs argue that the sanctions have hindered their human rights and legal activities, violating rights safeguarded under the U.S. Constitution, including freedom of speech. Human Rights Watch’s international justice director, Liz Evenson, expressed concern during an online news briefing, stating that the Trump administration’s actions are undermining the rule of law necessary for safety and the protection of human rights globally.
In response to inquiries regarding the lawsuit, a White House representative criticized the ICC, accusing it of being politicized and falsely claiming the authority to investigate and prosecute U.S. and allied nationals. The U.S. government’s stance is to take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and its allies from what it perceives as illegitimate actions by the ICC.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, is responsible for investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression. The U.S. has had a strained relationship with the court for many years, as it is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction.
Under the Trump administration, tensions escalated significantly, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on the ICC’s former chief prosecutor and several judges, including Canada’s Kimberly Prost. The administration has intensified efforts to dismantle the ICC, citing it as a threat to American sovereignty.
Additionally, advocacy groups in the U.S. have challenged the Trump administration’s actions against the ICC, alleging violations of freedom of speech and suppression of Palestinian human rights advocacy. The administration’s use of economic sanctions has been denounced as an attempt to silence human rights defenders and restrict political expression.
In a separate legal battle, three ICC judges, including Prost, filed a lawsuit asserting that the sanctions are an unlawful attempt to influence their judicial independence. The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and the ICC has raised concerns about the future of the international court and its ability to uphold justice on a global scale.