Federal Judge Orders Transfer of Tufts Student from Detention

A federal appeals judge has instructed that the Immigration Bureau in Louisiana must quickly relocate Turkish Tufts University student Rumeysa Öztürk, currently detained, to Vermont. This decision came amid claims from her attorney that her detention is illegal, particularly following her contributions to a student newspaper discussing parental rights.

Öztürk, who is 30 years old, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 26 during an incident near her off-campus apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her lawyer, Esha Bhandari, argued that the crux of Öztürk’s issues lies not in any potential deportation threat but in her current detention as a form of retaliation for exercising her right to free speech.

It’s worth mentioning that Öztürk has been held for six weeks, and according to her attorney, her health is deteriorating. This ruling seems to favor her position—Bhandari described the administration’s actions as “forum shopping.” The legal team also pointed out that the reasons for the transfer were related to inadequate space in Massachusetts for holding individuals pre-trial.

In this case, Öztürk criticized the university’s response to the conflict in Gaza through a co-authored piece in the student newspaper, which led to further scrutiny and accusations against her from the DHS regarding alleged support for Hamas.

Before her arrest, Öztürk had valid F-1 visa status, and there were no formal charges against her, her lawyer noted. The Trump administration had previously moved to revoke her student visa, claiming associations that led to these serious allegations.

The appeals court panel has mandated that the government execute the transfer to Vermont within a week following delays related to the case. The White House, ICE, and DHS have not yet responded to requests for comments on this situation.