Federal Judge Commands Trump Admin: Move Rumeysa Ozturk to Vermont Now!

“It is unacceptable for anyone to be relocated to a distant detention center simply for expressing their views through an op-ed,” stated the ACLU last Friday. This comment followed a federal court’s decision that the Trump administration must move Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student, back to a Vermont facility. Last month, Ozturk was unexpectedly put on a plane to Louisiana after being taken into custody by immigration officials.

Judge William K. Sessions III from the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont ruled that Ozturk’s arrest and subsequent detention raised “significant constitutional concerns” that deserved thorough examination in his court.

Ozturk was apprehended by undercover immigration officers, some masked, outside her Somerville, Massachusetts apartment. Her arrest occurred shortly after her student visa was unexpectedly revoked.

She falls among the numerous international students caught by the U.S. State Department’s “catch and revoke” strategy. This program focuses on canceling visas and residency permits of students who participate in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Last year, Ozturk criticized in a university newspaper article, urging the school administration to recognize the “Palestinian genocide” purported by Israel with support from the U.S., and to divest from businesses linked to Israel. This position echoed a similar stance taken by the Tufts Community Union Senate.

The Trump administration contended in court filings that Ozturk was “linked to groups that might sabotage U.S. foreign policy by fostering anti-Semitism on campus and showing support for a recognized terrorist group,” hinting at backing for Hamas. However, no proof of such support has been provided.

Many Jewish scholars and activists have condemned the administration’s misuse of anti-Semitism allegations to suppress those criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza, backed by the U.S.

Prior to the judge’s decision, Massachusetts Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and Representative Ayanna Pressley called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to disclose internal memos regarding Ozturk’s arrest and related case files.

“Ms. Ozturk’s situation warrants full disclosure,” the legislators insisted. They emphasized that her arrest and detention highlighted major concerns about civil rights, academic freedom, and freedom of speech, along with questioning the honesty of the Trump administration. They argued that Congress, academic institutions, legal experts, and the public have a justified interest in these details.

“No one should be transported to a remote detention facility for simply writing an op-ed,” they reiterated.

Ozturk initiated a legal challenge against her detention in Massachusetts, where a district judge moved the case to Vermont and rejected the government’s plea to transfer it to Louisiana.

Given the “significant constitutional concerns” Ozturk presented, Judge Sessions denied the government’s motion to dismiss her petition and mandated her transfer to Vermont custody pending further proceedings.

He ordered that Ozturk be moved by May 1 and allowed a four-day stay for potential appeals.

This week, Ozturk was refused bail by an immigration judge as her attorneys requested her relocation, which they argued would facilitate better communication with her legal team and necessary medical care. According to her lawyers, Ozturk has experienced five asthma attacks while detained in the Louisiana facility.

Lia Ernst from the ACLU of Vermont supported Friday’s decision, affirming that “the government cannot compromise the judicial system or manipulate a case’s jurisdiction by secretly transferring and imprisoning someone far from their home.”