Tufts University student Rumeysa Öztürk, a Turkish national on a visa in the United States, is currently fighting deportation after writing an essay about Israel and the war in Gaza. A federal judge ordered her transfer back to Vermont from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Louisiana. The judge refused to dismiss her habeas petition, stating that she raised significant constitutional concerns with her arrest and detention.
Öztürk was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of engaging in activities in support of Hamas after co-writing an opinion essay for the student newspaper in 2024. The essay called on the university to acknowledge Palestinian genocide and divest from companies with ties to Israel. Her lawyers argue that advocating for human rights should not lead to imprisonment and that immigration laws should not be used to separate people from their homes and loved ones.
The ruling allows Öztürk to remain in ICE custody in Vermont while her habeas petition and removal case are being heard in federal and immigration courts. The Trump administration is trying to deport international students who protested Israel’s actions in Gaza. Tufts University has supported Öztürk, stating that her essay did not violate university policies and was in line with free speech principles. The university leadership has petitioned for her release from custody, indicating they have no information suggesting she violated immigration laws. The Department of Justice declined to comment on the case.
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