Careers

Experiences

Industries

Offices

Our Firm

Pages

Our People

Updates

Practices

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP is a corporate law firm with over 230 attorneys serving clients in nine offices throughout Michigan. Among the largest law firms in Michigan, Warner works in virtually all areas of business law.

Michigan Law Firm - Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

President Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding for universities allowing "illegal protests" in a social media post on March 4, drawing input from legal professionals who see the move as a potential intimidation tactic.

core/paragraph

MLive published article “Trump threatens to deport ‘illegal’ protesters. Legal experts call it just an intimidation tactic,” covering the legal perspective on the latest threat to the First Amendment.

<a href="https://www.wnj.com/people/brian-d-wassom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">B</a><a href="https://www.wnj.com/people/brian-d-wassom/">rian Wassom</a>, a First Amendment attorney at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, highlighted a hole in Trump's statement: The lack of definition for what constitutes an "illegal" protest. "This ambiguity pressures universities to suppress controversial speech and could lead students and educators to overcompensate by self-censoring activities that may or may not be unlawful," Wassom explained.

Trump’s post also suggested that non-citizen protesters would face deportation, and American students would be expelled or arrested. While protests related to the Israel-Hamas war have led to arrests at campuses like the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, legal commentators argue that Trump's threats exceed presidential authority.

Wassom emphasized that the vague language in Trump’s post appears designed to intimidate institutions into limiting free expression. Constitutional law scholar Richard Primus added that the president lacks unilateral power to withhold funding or expel students, reinforcing that universities should uphold their own policies while safeguarding free speech.

The ACLU also denounced Trump’s remarks, comparing them to McCarthy-era suppression tactics and urging universities to resist federal pressure to police constitutionally protected speech.

The full article can be read <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/03/trump-threatens-to-deport-illegal-protesters-legal-experts-call-it-just-an-intimidation-tactic.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP builds a better partnership with our clients. One of Michigan’s largest law firms, we’re focused on providing the best legal solutions and exceptional client service to organizations throughout the world. Connect with us on <a href="https://www.wnj.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wnj.com</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/warner-norcross-judd-llp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/WNJLLP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wnjllp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Facebook</a>.

Higher Education

Partner

Brian D. Wassom

Privacy, Defamation, Media and First Amendment Litigation

Warner’s Brian Wassom Provides Clarity on Trump’s Protest Crackdown at Universities Nationwide

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP is responsible for the contents of our advertising and this website. Please read our full <a href="/privacy-policy/" aria-label="see privacy policy">privacy policy</a> available on our website. If you have any questions or comments about our website or our Privacy Policy please contact us at <a href="mailto:info@wnj.com">info@wnj.com</a> or 616.752.2000.