A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration ’s efforts to deport noncitizens for protesting the conflict in Gaza was unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge William Young in Boston agreed with several university associations that the policy they described as ideological deportation violates the First Amendment. The ruling came after a trial.

An email to the Homeland Security department for comment was not immediately returned.

During the trial, lawyers for the associations presented witnesses who testified that the Trump administration had launched a coordinated effort to target students and scholars who had criticized Israel or showed sympathy for Palestinians.

“Not since the McCarthy era have immigrants been the target of such intense repression for lawful political

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