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Judge Transfers Rümeysa Öztürk's Detention Case to Vermont Court

The Turkish doctoral student remains detained in Louisiana as legal challenges over her arrest and treatment escalate, with deportation temporarily blocked.

A little over 50 protesters with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and community members rally to denounce the Trump administration's recent attacks on free speech and immigrant rights including the arrest of Rümeysa Öztürk, at Placita Olverain in downtown Los Angeles, on April 1, 2025.
Protesters march outside a federal court, Thursday, April 3, 2025, where a hearing took place for a Tufts University doctoral student detained by immigration authorities on March 25, in Boston. (AP Photos/Michael Casey)
Jews attend a rally in support of detained pro-Palestinian Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk in Somerville, Massachusetts, March 26, 2025. Several Jews later left the rally after speakers began denouncing Israel. (Courtesy of Ron Newman)
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Overview

  • A federal judge ruled that Rümeysa Öztürk's legal case should proceed in Vermont, where she was briefly held after her arrest, rejecting the Justice Department's push to move it to Louisiana.
  • Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, was detained by ICE on March 25, allegedly due to her pro-Palestinian advocacy, including a 2024 op-ed critical of Israel.
  • Her lawyers argue that ICE's transfer of Öztürk to Louisiana was an attempt to manipulate jurisdiction and hinder her legal defense.
  • Reports indicate that Öztürk has suffered three asthma attacks in custody and has been denied necessary medical care, intensifying public criticism of her detention conditions.
  • Protests and political pressure for Öztürk's release are growing, with lawmakers and immigrant rights groups condemning her detention as a violation of constitutional rights and academic freedom.