Human rights groups challenge Trump sanctions on international criminal court

Four U.S. human rights groups have sued the Trump administration in federal court in New York. The lawsuit was filed on August 11, 2026. The groups are challenging sanctions that target the International Criminal Court and people connected to it. President Trump approved the sanctions in an executive order in February 2025. The sanctions affect ICC judges, prosecutors, a UN human rights expert, and three Palestinian human rights organisations. The four groups filing the lawsuit include Human Rights Watch and the Center for Constitutional Rights. They argue the sanctions break their rights under the U.S. Constitution and a law protecting religious freedom. They also say the sanctions have forced them to reduce their human rights work. Other organisations and sanctioned individuals have filed similar legal challenges before.