Tufts Doctoral Student's Detention Sparks Legal Battle Over Free Speech and Retaliation Claims

Rumeysa Ozturk, detained by ICE and accused of no crime, remains in Louisiana as a federal judge weighs jurisdictional disputes and her attorneys allege retaliation for pro-Palestinian advocacy.

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, was arrested on March 25, 2025, by plain-clothes ICE agents in Massachusetts, allegedly due to her pro-Palestinian advocacy and criticism of Israel.
Ozturk was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana shortly after her arrest, despite a court order requiring 48 hours' notice before moving her out of Massachusetts.
Her attorneys claim the transfer was a deliberate attempt to manipulate jurisdiction and avoid Massachusetts courts, while the government cites a lack of facilities for female detainees in Massachusetts.
A federal judge in Boston is deliberating whether the legal challenge to her detention can remain in Massachusetts, with Ozturk's deportation temporarily blocked.
Ozturk, supported by Tufts University and civil rights groups, has vowed to continue her peaceful advocacy, emphasizing her commitment to addressing systemic inequality and defending free speech rights.