A federal judge has ordered that Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student from Turkey at Tufts University, be brought to Vermont by May 1 for a hearing regarding her detention by immigration authorities. Ozturk was taken into custody on March 25 while walking in Somerville, Massachusetts, near her university. Her lawyers argue that her detention is retaliation for an op-ed she co-wrote in the Tufts Daily, which criticized the university’s handling of student activism related to Palestinian issues.
U.S. District Judge William Sessions will review Ozturk’s request for release from detention. Her legal team had previously sought her immediate release or at least a return to Vermont while her case is ongoing. After her arrest, Ozturk was transferred between New Hampshire and Vermont before being flown to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Basile, Louisiana.
Ozturk’s detention follows a broader trend where several students connected to American universities have faced visa revocations or been barred from entering the U.S. after participating in protests or expressing support for Palestine. An immigration judge denied her request for bond just days after her detention. Ozturk’s lawyers are challenging the legal grounds for her detention, arguing that it violates her constitutional rights, including free speech and due process.
In a related case, another student, Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, is facing deportation based on claims he poses a national security risk. Ozturk’s case has drawn attention, with demonstrations held in support of her in Somerville shortly after her detention.
The Department of Homeland Security has alleged that Ozturk was involved in activities supporting Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. However, her supporters argue that this claim lacks evidence and is part of a broader crackdown on dissenting voices in academic settings.
Ozturk’s lawyers have expressed frustration at the lack of communication during her detention, stating they were unable to reach her for over 24 hours after her arrest. This situation highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of international students and the implications of their political expressions in the U.S.