Judge Orders Tufts Student Moved from Louisiana to Vermont

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    A Tufts University doctoral student from Turkey is set to be transported back to New England from a Louisiana immigration facility by May 1, following a federal court ruling. U.S. District Judge William Sessions issued this decision to evaluate claims of Rumeysa Ozturk’s potentially unlawful detention due to her involvement in writing an op-ed for a student newspaper.

    Rumeysa Ozturk’s legal team has argued for her immediate release, or at least her return to Vermont, as hearings are scheduled—the bail hearing will occur on May 9, with a determination on the petition’s merits set for May 22. However, the Justice Department holds that jurisdiction over her case remains with a Louisiana immigration court.

    “The Court concludes that this case will continue in this court with Ms. Ozturk physically present for the remainder of the proceedings,” Judge Sessions stated. He emphasized the need for an expedited review of her habeas claims, which he described as “viable and serious,” suggesting that urgent attention was warranted. The court aims to move quickly through the bail hearing and towards resolving the habeas petition.

    This decision arises three weeks after immigration officers apprehended the 30-year-old while she was strolling in a Boston suburb on March 25. She was subsequently transported through New Hampshire and Vermont before being flown to a detention center in Basile, Louisiana. An immigration judge has denied her request for bond, citing potential danger and risk of flight as the main reasons.

    Ozturk is among several international academics who have faced visa revocations or entry denials into the U.S. due to alleged participation in protests or expressions of support for Palestinian causes. In a related case, a Louisiana immigration judge has ordered the deportation of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, citing national security risks posed by him.

    Ozturk’s legal representatives initially filed a petition in Massachusetts without knowledge of her location and could not contact her for more than a day after her detention. Ozturk claims her repeated attempts to secure legal counsel while detained were unsuccessful.

    Ozturk was part of a quartet of students that issued a criticized op-ed in “The Tufts Daily” last year, challenging the university’s stance on student protests advocating for the acknowledgment of what they termed the “Palestinian genocide,” greater investment transparency, and divestment from companies tied to Israel.

    Her lawyers argue her detention infringes upon her constitutional rights, notably free speech and due process. Judge Sessions acknowledged plausible constitutional violation claims in his ruling but stressed that such allegations alone do not justify instant release.

    A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security previously contended—without submitting evidence—that investigations had revealed Ozturk’s involvement in activities supporting Hamas, labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S.