Tufts University Student Rümeysa Öztürk Released from Immigration Detention
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Rümeysa Öztürk, a 30-year-old PhD student at Tufts University, has been released from a Louisiana detention center after a federal judge ruled her detention raised significant due process concerns. Öztürk, a Turkish national studying child development, was arrested in March by masked immigration agents near Boston after co-authoring an opinion article critical of Israel.
During a hearing, Judge William Sessions emphasized the potential chilling effect her detention could have on free speech rights for non-citizens and found no evidence of violence or a criminal record against her. He noted that her continued detention could deter individuals from exercising their First Amendment rights.
Öztürk threatened a deportation order, under a contentious Trump-era immigration statute, which deemed her presence harmful to U.S. foreign policy. Judge Sessions ordered her immediate release, stating, “There is absolutely no evidence…that she does not pose a danger to the community.”
Öztürk was seen emotionally embracing her attorney after the order, expressing relief alongside her legal team from the ACLU and other advocacy groups. Her attorney Mahsa Khanbabai remarked on the absurdity of her detention for simply advocating for human rights, asking, “When did speaking up against oppression become a crime?”
While in detention, Öztürk faced severe health risks, suffering multiple asthma attacks and having her hijab forcibly removed. Tufts faculty praised her contributions to academia, noting the impact of her absence on her peers.
As the case continues, Öztürk’s release is viewed as a crucial victory for civil liberties advocates, who highlight the ongoing struggle against punitive measures targeting international students engaged in political discourse.
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