Federal Prosecutors Appeal Order to Transfer Detained Tufts Student Öztürk to Vermont
Vermont District Court Judge William K. Sessions III has ordered federal authorities to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts doctoral student, from Louisiana to Vermont, prompting an appeal from federal prosecutors. Öztürk, who has been detained since March 25, faced arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents due to her alleged ties to Hamas stemming from her pro-Palestinian writings. The appeal, filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher, seeks to pause Sessions’ directives, which include a deadline for the transfer by May 1 and a bail hearing scheduled for May 9.
Öztürk’s situation has drawn significant attention as she awaits a determination on the legality of her detention. Having resided in the U.S. since being granted a student visa, her lawyers contend that her visa was revoked without warning as a direct consequence of her political expression. While a Louisiana immigration court denied her bond request, her attorneys successfully moved the challenge to her detention to Vermont based on her physical presence in the state during their filing.
Despite the prosecution’s push to return the case to Louisiana, Öztürk’s ongoing health concerns, including asthma attacks due to crowded living conditions in her Louisiana facility, further complicate her case. The impending hearings in Vermont, including a critical merits hearing on her petition set for May 22, suggest that federal officials have a contentious legal battle ahead.
As this high-profile case unfolds, it raises significant questions regarding academic freedom and the intersection of immigration enforcement and political expression. Further developments are anticipated in the coming days.
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