Turkish Student Detained by ICE Moved to Vermont Amid Legal Dispute

International

-Sathish Raman

Updated: Thursday, April 3, 2025, 0:42 [IST]

A
Tufts
University
doctoral
student
from
Turkiye,
Rumeysa
Ozturk,
was
detained
by
immigration
authorities
and
moved
to
Vermont
before
a
federal
judge
ordered
her
to
remain
in
Massachusetts,
according
to
US
government
lawyers.
Ozturk,
30,
was
apprehended
by
immigration
officials
on
March
25
while
walking
in
Somerville,
a
Boston
suburb.
The
following
day,
she
was
flown
to
an
Immigration
and
Customs
Enforcement
detention
centre
in
Basile,
Louisiana.

US
District
Judge
Denise
Casper
in
Boston
had
scheduled
a
hearing
for
Thursday
regarding
the
case.
On
March
28,
responding
to
a
petition
from
Ozturk’s
legal
team,
Judge
Casper
ruled
that
Ozturk
should
not
be
removed
from
the
United
States
“until
further
order
of
this
court.” However,
on
Tuesday,
Justice
Department
lawyers
argued
that
the
judge
does
not
have
jurisdiction
over
Ozturk’s
case.

Legal
Arguments
and
Jurisdiction

The
Justice
Department
contended
that
Ozturk’s
lawyers
should
have
filed
her
petition
in
the
jurisdiction
where
she
was
detained.
They
suggested
that
the
case
be
dismissed
or
transferred
to
Louisiana
and
that
any
challenges
should
be
addressed
in
immigration
court.
Assistant
US
Attorney
Mark
Sauter
stated,
“Ozturk
is
not
without
recourse
to
challenge
the
revocation
of
her
visa
and
her
arrest
and
detention,
but
such
challenge
cannot
be
made
before
this
court.”

Ozturk’s
legal
team
has
until
late
Wednesday
afternoon
to
respond
to
the
government’s
argument.
They
maintain
that
her
detention
violates
her
constitutional
rights,
including
free
speech
and
due
process.
They
have
requested
that
she
be
returned
to
Massachusetts
and
released
from
custody
immediately.

Support
and
Controversy

Rallies
supporting
Ozturk
took
place
in
Boston
and
at
Tufts
University
on
Tuesday,
with
another
planned
for
Wednesday
in
Boston.
Ozturk
is
among
several
individuals
linked
to
American
universities
who
have
faced
visa
revocations
or
entry
denials
after
expressing
support
for
Palestinians
during
the
Gaza
conflict.

A
Department
of
Homeland
Security
spokesperson
confirmed
last
week
that
Ozturk’s
visa
was
terminated
following
investigations
suggesting
she
supported
Hamas,
a
group
designated
as
terrorist
by
the
US.
However,
no
evidence
of
this
support
was
provided
in
the
government’s
response
on
Tuesday.

Background
and
Reactions

Secretary
of
State
Marco
Rubio
commented
last
week
regarding
Ozturk’s
situation:
“We
gave
you
a
visa
to
come
and
study
and
get
a
degree,
not
to
become
a
social
activist,
to
tear
up
our
university
campuses.” This
statement
followed
an
attack
by
Hamas
militants
on
Israel
on
October
7,
2023,
which
resulted
in
approximately
1,200
deaths
and
around
250
hostages
being
taken.

Israel’s
subsequent
offensive
has
reportedly
killed
over
50,000
people
according
to
Gaza’s
Health
Ministry.
Ozturk
was
one
of
four
students
who
authored
an
op-ed
in
The
Tufts
Daily
last
year
criticizing
the
university’s
response
to
student
demands
related
to
Palestinian
issues.
Friends
have
noted
that
apart
from
this
article,
Ozturk
was
not
heavily
involved
in
protests
against
Israel.

Ozturk
is
scheduled
for
an
appearance
before
an
immigration
judge
in
Louisiana
on
April
7.
The
outcome
of
this
hearing
could
significantly
impact
her
future
in
the
United
States
as
she
continues
to
challenge
her
detention
and
visa
revocation
through
legal
avenues.