The Trump administration had previously sanctioned the human rights expert for criticizing Israel, but was forced to change course after the court ruling.
Published May 21, 2026
The United States denies that lifting sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, constitutes a change in government policy.
On Thursday, the State Department revealed that President Donald Trump’s administration only removed Albanians from the sanctions list because of a recent court ruling.
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The State Department added in a statement that “the government has appealed the court’s order” and reaffirmed its intention to return Albanians to the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN).
“If the D.C. Circuit upholds or reverses this order, the government intends to restore Ms. Albanese’s name to the SDN list.”
The Trump administration targeted Albanians with sanctions in July 2025 after they recommended the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr. Albanese, a human rights expert, is an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians and has published a report documenting Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The death toll among Palestinians within the small territory is estimated at more than 75,000.
Although Ms. Albanese is Italian, her daughter is a U.S. citizen and has assets in the United States.
In February, her family filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking to have the sanctions rescinded as a violation of Albanians’ constitutional rights, including freedom of speech.
The lawsuit said Albanese lost access to her bank accounts, apartment, and financial systems connected to the United States.
“The heart of this case is about whether a defendant can sanction a person and ruin his or her life and the lives of their loved ones, including the nation’s daughter, because the defendant disagreed with the recommendation or feared its persuasiveness,” the lawsuit said.
On May 13, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon sided with the plaintiffs and issued a preliminary injunction blocking sanctions against the Albanians.
Leon, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, said in her decision that the government sought to regulate Albanians because of the “ideas and messages expressed” in her speech.
“The Albanians did nothing but talk,” the judge wrote. “There is no dispute that her recommendations are not binding on the ICC’s actions; they are only her opinions.”
Mr. Albanese is one of several international figures, including ICC judges, who are subject to retaliatory sanctions by the United States for their involvement in cases involving alleged rights violations by the Israeli military.
Many rights groups, experts and academics share Mr. Albanese’s conclusion that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.
But the Trump administration accused her of “biased and malicious activity” that made her “unfit for service.” He also accused the ICC of issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, calling it a “violation of the law.”
