Hearing Set for Detained Tufts Student as Legal Battle Intensifies

Rümeysa Öztürk remains in ICE custody in Louisiana while her attorneys and Tufts University challenge her detention and visa revocation.

A federal judge in Boston is set to hear arguments on April 3, 2025, regarding jurisdiction and the potential release of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University detained by ICE.
Öztürk was arrested on March 25, 2025, in Somerville, Massachusetts, and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana, with ICE citing alleged ties to Hamas but providing no evidence.
Tufts University has publicly supported Öztürk, disputing the allegations and emphasizing her compliance with immigration regulations at the time of her detention.
Öztürk’s attorneys argue that her detention violates her constitutional rights, including free speech, and claim it is retaliation for her pro-Palestinian advocacy.
The case highlights broader concerns over the Trump administration’s crackdown on international students, with over 300 student visas revoked in recent months.