Judge Orders ICE to Transfer Tufts Student Back to Vermont

The judge’s decision to bring Ozturk back to Vermont is being hailed by civil liberties groups as a positive step for due process and free speech.

Burlington, VT — A federal judge has ordered Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, to be transferred from a Louisiana immigration detention center to Vermont by May 1, marking a significant development in her challenge against what she claims was a retaliatory arrest for her pro-Palestinian activism. 

Ozturk, 30, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 25 while walking in Somerville, Massachusetts, after co-authoring an op-ed in a campus publication that criticized Tufts’ response to calls for divestment from companies linked to Israel and advocated recognition of “the Palestinian genocide.”

Judge Cites Constitutional Concerns

U.S. District Judge William Sessions, presiding in Burlington, Vermont, ruled that Ozturk must be present in Vermont for the remainder of her proceedings.

He emphasized that Ozturk’s case raises “important constitutional issues” about her arrest and detention, particularly regarding her First Amendment rights. Judge Sessions noted that Ozturk had presented substantial evidence suggesting her detention was punitive and connected to her protected speech, stating, “The op-ed clearly pertains to public matters.” He also pointed out that the government had not provided evidence of any other lawful reason for her detention.

Legal and Academic Stakes

Ozturk’s legal team is contesting the legitimacy of ICE’s actions, arguing that her detention is an unlawful attempt to silence her activism. They sought her immediate release or, at minimum, her return to Vermont, where she had been pursuing her doctorate before her arrest. Judge Sessions scheduled a bail hearing for May 9 and a further hearing on May 22 to consider the merits of her habeas petition.

Ozturk’s case has drawn national attention as part of a broader pattern in which students at U.S. universities have faced visa revocations or entry bans after participating in pro-Palestinian protests or expressing support for Palestinian causes. Her arrest and subsequent transfer to a remote Louisiana facility, far from her academic and legal support networks, had been criticized by advocates as an attempt to isolate her and hinder her defense.

Positive Momentum for Civil Liberties

The judge’s decision to bring Ozturk back to Vermont is being hailed by civil liberties groups as a positive step for due process and free speech. “Ms. Ozturk has put forth substantial and serious habeas claims that necessitate prompt examination on their merits,” Judge Sessions wrote, underscoring the urgency and gravity of the constitutional questions involved.

Ozturk’s supporters argue that her case exemplifies the risks faced by international students who engage in activism, and they hope the Vermont hearings will set a precedent for protecting student rights. The upcoming hearings will determine whether Ozturk can be released on bail and, ultimately, whether her detention was lawful.

What’s Next

Ozturk is expected to be transferred to Vermont by May 1, where she will remain in custody pending the hearings. Her legal team remains optimistic that the court will recognize the retaliatory nature of her detention and grant her release so she can resume her studies at Tufts University

Judge Orders ICE to Transfer Tufts Student Back to Vermont (April 18, 2025)

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Tags: Tufts University, Vermont, immigration, Rumeysa Ozturk, ICE,
free speech, student activism, First Amendment, federal court, civil liberties