The Trump administration is trying to put pressure on international officials who are scrutinizing reported abuses by the Israeli military.
Published May 28, 2026
The US government has returned UN human rights expert Francesca Albanese to its list of sanctions after a judge granted a temporary injunction against the designation.
On Wednesday, an update was posted on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) website indicating that Albanians had been added to the agency’s list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs), without providing further details.
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Ms Albanese is the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories and has been targeted under US President Donald Trump for her criticism of Israeli policies.
In July 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement announcing sanctions against Albanians, condemning “illegal acts” and “biased and malicious activities” against Israel.
He also referred to her recommendation that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Job Gallant, which it ultimately did in November 2024.
The announcement is one of a series of actions the Trump administration has taken against critics it deems hostile to U.S. and Israeli interests.
The sanctions barred Albanians from entering the United States and froze their assets in the country. Additionally, any U.S.-based companies were prohibited from doing business with her.
Mr. Albanese, an Italian national, has close ties to the United States. Her daughter is a U.S. citizen and her family maintains residence in the United States.
In February, Albanese’s family filed a lawsuit on her behalf, saying the sanctions had disrupted her life and even prevented her from accessing her bank accounts.
The lawsuit also accused the Trump administration of trying to intimidate those who oppose Israel’s rights violations.
Ms. Albanese has been vocal in her assessment that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a view echoed by leading human rights experts around the world. More than 75,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Strip since 2023, when Israel launched a genocidal war in the Strip.
Albanese isn’t the only one facing financial penalties for her job. Trump is estimated to have imposed sanctions against nine ICC judges and the court’s prosecutors since taking office for his second term.
The judge and prosecutor were reportedly involved in investigating human rights abuses by the US and Israeli military.
Legal experts denounced the sanctions as an attack on international law and an effort to shield the United States and its allies from scrutiny.
On May 13, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, ruled in favor of the Albanian families’ lawsuit and granted a temporary stay on sanctions.
Leon found that the Trump administration used penalties to suppress Albanese’s constitutionally protected speech. He also said Albanons cannot be blamed for the ICC’s actions.
“There is no dispute that her recommendations are not binding on ICC action,” Leon wrote. “Those are just her opinions.”
As a result of the ruling, Albanese was removed from the sanctions list this month.
However, the Trump administration appealed Leon’s order. It also said it would return her to the sanctions list as soon as possible, although it was unclear what prompted Wednesday’s change.
