A federal judge ordered the transfer of Tufts University student Rumeysa Öztürk, who is fighting deportation after writing an essay critical of Israel and the war in Gaza, back to Vermont. Judge William K. Sessions III allowed a four-day stay to give the government time to appeal. Öztürk, a Turkish national on a visa, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Louisiana. The judge found constitutional concerns with her arrest and detention and refused to dismiss her habeas petition. The student was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of supporting Hamas for co-writing the essay urging Tufts to acknowledge Palestinian genocide and divest from companies with ties to Israel. Her attorneys argued that advocating for human rights should not lead to imprisonment.
The ruling allows Öztürk to remain in ICE custody in Vermont while her detainment challenge proceeds in federal court and her removal case in immigration court in Louisiana. The Trump administration is targeting international students for deportation for protesting Israel’s actions during the Gaza war. Tufts University has defended Öztürk, stating that her essay did not violate university policies and was in line with its support of free speech. The university leadership declared that they have no evidence of her violating immigration laws. The Department of Justice declined to comment on Friday’s ruling.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
