The chief executive of a prominent anti-disinformation organisation has declared that politicians using Elon Musk's X platform should 'question their own consciences', as he fights deportation from the United States.
Sanctions and Allegations of Censorship
Imran Ahmed, head of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), was hit with sanctions by the administration of former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, December 24, 2025. US officials accused him of attempting to 'censor' social media platforms, specifically naming X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Ahmed, a legal permanent resident of the US who lives with his American wife and child, stated that the move to remove him is driven by the 'corrupting influence of big tech and big money in Washington'. He described major technology firms as 'arrogant', 'indifferent to the harm they cause', and 'sociopathic in their greed'.
Speaking to the Press Association, he directly addressed UK politicians: 'Every time they post on X, they are putting a buck in Mr Musk's pocket and I think they need to question their own consciences and ask themselves whether or not they think they can carry on doing that.'
Legal Battle and Broader Crackdown
The sanctions, which could see his green card status revoked, prompted immediate legal action. A temporary court order was secured on Friday, December 27, preventing his arrest or deportation ahead of a crucial hearing scheduled for Monday, December 29. This hearing will consider a legal complaint against the sanctions.
Ahmed's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, argued the government's actions were 'blatantly unconstitutional', stating: 'The federal government can’t deport a green card holder like Imran Ahmed, with a wife and young child who are American, simply because it doesn’t like what he has to say.'
Ahmed is one of five Europeans issued with US visa bans over alleged 'censorship' efforts. The group includes:
- Clare Melford, chief executive of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index.
- Thierry Breton, the former EU commissioner for the internal market.
- Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of the German organisation HateAid.
History of Conflict with Elon Musk
The campaigner has a history of conflict with major tech platforms, particularly with Elon Musk. Last year, Musk's X Corp unsuccessfully sued the CCDH over its research which claimed hate speech and disinformation had surged on the platform following Musk's acquisition in October 2022.
Ahmed noted it was 'telling that Mr Musk was one of the first and most vociferous in celebrating the press release' announcing the sanctions. He argued the move backfired by highlighting that his advocacy was 'protected by the first amendment'.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the sanctioned group of trying to 'coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose'. Undersecretary Sarah Rogers claimed Ahmed was a 'key collaborator' with the Biden administration in efforts to 'weaponise the government' against citizens, citing CCDH's calls to de-platform anti-vaccine campaigners.
The UK Government, responding to the situation, said: 'While every country has the right to set its own visa rules, we support the laws and institutions which are working to keep the internet free from the most harmful content.'
