Federal Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Tufts University Doctoral Student

A federal judge in Vermont has ordered the immediate release of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student from Turkey, after six weeks in detention. Öztürk was detained by immigration officers near her Massachusetts home on March 25, following the revocation of her visa by the Trump administration. Her detention sparked protests and raised concerns about free speech and due process.

Öztürk, who has not been charged with any crime, was accused of supporting Hamas, though no evidence was presented in court. Her detention is part of a series of arrests targeting non-citizen students involved in protests. Öztürk co-authored an op-ed critical of Tufts University's response to the war in Gaza, which her lawyers argue led to her being targeted.

During her bail hearing, Öztürk testified remotely from a Louisiana detention center, where she experienced multiple asthma attacks due to overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. The judge ordered her release on her own recognizance, stating she is not a flight risk or a danger to the community. Öztürk plans to continue her Ph.D. studies at Tufts, which has offered her housing options.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Öztürk's visa was revoked due to her pro-Palestinian activism. Since the start of the second Trump administration, over 300 student visas have reportedly been revoked for similar reasons. Öztürk's case highlights ongoing debates over immigration policy and free speech rights in the United States.