Press Release
Federal Appeal Pauses Transfer of Tufts Student from Immigration Detention
New York, NY – A federal appeals court in New York has temporarily halted a lower court’s decision to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, from an immigration detention facility in Louisiana to Vermont for a crucial bail hearing. The order was issued on Monday, following an emergency appeal by the government.
Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish national, was apprehended on March 25 by plainclothes officers in Somerville, Massachusetts. Following her arrest, she was moved across state lines to facilities in New Hampshire and Vermont, before being detained in Louisiana. Her attorneys assert that the detention is unlawful and retaliatory, stemming from her co-authorship of an op-ed criticizing Tufts’ response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Judge William Sessions had ordered Öztürk’s transfer back to Vermont by May 1 to facilitate her bail hearing. However, the government’s recent appeal to the Second District prompted the court to pause this order. A panel of three judges will convene on May 6 to deliberate whether Öztürk should remain in Louisiana while the appeal is processed.
In its ruling, the appeals court clarified that the administrative stay was designed to allow adequate consideration of the government’s emergency motion and was not indicative of the court’s stance on the appeal’s merits. Legal representatives for Öztürk expressed concerns that if the appeals court sides with the government, her legal challenges could prolong significantly, adding to the uncertainty surrounding her case.
The development marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battle for Öztürk, whose situation has garnered attention and sparked discussions about immigration enforcement and academic freedoms.
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