Think Immigration: “Have You No Sense of Decency, Sir? At Long Last, Have you Left No Sense of Decency?”

As part of our efforts to amplify the AILA Law Journal, author Vaman Kidambi describes why he focused his piece on the decision of Judge William G. Young in AAUP v. Rubio and the call to uphold justice in the face of adversity. Click through this link to read the full article from the Spring 2026 issue of the AILA Law Journal.

Let me take you back to 1954, when the U.S. Senate was gripped by the fiery hearings of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The air was thick with accusations, and fear reigned unimpeded. It was a time when dissent was seen as dangerous, and the government’s crackdown on “un-American” activities was in full swing. The red scare was sweeping the country, and many were afraid that their words would be used against them. But then came a moment that stood out in history. During a Senate hearing, lawyer Joseph Welch, representing the U.S. Army, turned the tables on McCarthy. With a simple, searing question, he asked, “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” In that moment, Welch’s words, his plea for justice and fairness rang out and stopped McCarthy in his tracks.

This historical context has parallels in the decision of Judge William G. Young in the AAUP v. Rubio case. In this and similar cases that have been making the rounds in the U.S. court system, students from various U.S. universities were arrested for voicing their dissenting views that, by their very nature, challenged the political narrative of the time. If this sounds familiar, it is because the current administration, much like Senator McCarthy, has found ways to target vulnerable populations, immigrants, in particular, using and abusing the heavy hand of law to silence dissent. We cannot allow the government to use neutral immigration laws as a backdoor to suppress free speech.

As I reflect on AAUP v. Rubio, I cannot help but think of how lucky we are to have judges like William Young, who understand the power of words (obiter), the moral weight of the First Amendment, and the importance of upholding justice, even in the face of adversity. When a legal opinion is written with such clarity and conviction, it’s not just a legal document. It’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that we must continue to fight for our rights, for the right to challenge power, and for the right to live without fear of persecution based on our beliefs.

So, if you’re interested in diving deeper into how Judge Young’s opinion echoes the wisdom of Whitney v. California and why it matters in the context of today’s political climate, I invite you to read my full article in the Spring Edition of the AILA Law Journal entitled - The Lamp of Liberty Burns Brighter When Fueled by Free Speech - The Case Against Ideological Deportation under Judge William J. Young. In it, you will find an exploration of how the legal challenge in AAUP v. Rubio would be further strengthened through effective use of the Equal Protection Clause and how we can do our bit to protect free speech in an age of executive overreach, and how this case serves as a beacon of hope for immigrants and Americans alike.