Judge Orders Tufts Student Rümeysa Öztürk’s Transport to Vermont by May 1
A federal judge has ordered the immediate transfer of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, to Vermont by May 1. Judge William K. Sessions III denied a request from federal prosecutors to postpone her transport while the government pursued an appeal regarding her detention. Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish national, has been in federal custody since March 25, following an arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
During the hearing, Judge Sessions emphasized that he had jurisdiction over Öztürk’s petition, as she was physically present in Vermont when her lawyers filed it. Federal prosecutors had argued that Vermont was not the appropriate venue, claiming the case should be moved to Louisiana, where she is currently held. However, the judge dismissed these arguments, pointing out that prosecutors failed to demonstrate how her transfer would harm the government.
Öztürk’s legal team contends that her student visa was revoked without warning by the Trump administration due to her co-authorship of a pro-Palestinian op-ed published in Tufts’ student newspaper. While federal officials allege that she supports Hamas, no specific evidence has been presented to substantiate this claim.
Currently, Öztürk is detained in a challenging environment in Louisiana, sharing a 14-person cell with two dozen other women, where she has reportedly suffered multiple asthma attacks. Judge Sessions expressed his intent to expedite the review of Öztürk’s petition, emphasizing that moving her to Vermont would facilitate the process.
The case has drawn significant attention amid ongoing debates over immigration policies and the rights of international students in the U.S.
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