Overview

• Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, remains in ICE detention in Louisiana after being denied bond by an immigration judge on April 17.
• The judge deemed Öztürk a flight risk and danger to the community, citing a one-paragraph State Department memo revoking her visa over a pro-Palestinian op-ed.
• Her legal team argues the detention and visa revocation violate her First Amendment rights and due process, and they are seeking her transfer to Vermont for hearings.
• Öztürk has experienced multiple asthma attacks in detention, with her lawyers raising concerns about inadequate medical care and limited access to legal counsel.
• Her case highlights a broader Trump administration trend of targeting international students for pro-Palestinian activism, with over 300 visas revoked since 2024.