Student Rumeysa Ozturk freed from ICE detention following court order
Freed Tufts Student Rumeysa Ozturk Walks Out of ICE Detention
After spending 45 days in custody, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk stepped out from a detention center in Louisiana on Friday evening. Her release followed a federal court order that found no justification for her detention.
In a press conference outside the facility, an overjoyed Ozturk expressed her gratitude. "Thank you so much. I am a little bit tired, so I will take some time to rest," she said, her hands on her heart.
During the hearing on her release, Ozturk's attorney Mahsa Khanbabai highlighted the unfounded revocation of her student visa and questioned why speaking up against oppression became a crime. According to Ozturk's legal team, the government made an "11th-hour attempt" to place a location-tracking ankle monitor on her, but Judge William K. Sessions III dismissed the idea, stating she didn't pose any risk of flight.
U.S. District Judge William Sessions III had ordered her release on bail on May 9, 2025, criticizing the government for failing to present any evidence beyond her critical student writings to justify her detention. Judge Sessions noted that Ozturk was not a danger to the community or a flight risk, expressing concern that her detention could chill free speech among millions of non-citizens.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student from Tufts University, was initially detained in March, recording the attention of many due to video evidence obtained during her arrest by masked federal agents and her allegations of being targeted for exercising free speech, particularly for an op-ed critical of Tufts University's response to Israel's war in Gaza and related political issues.
Following her release, Ozturk is expected to return to Massachusetts and restart her doctoral studies. Her immigration proceedings will continue separately, but the judge indicated that he may impose conditions in consultation with her lawyers and ICE. With her newfound freedom, Ozturk is one step closer to resuming her academic journey and challenging the circumstances that led to her detention.
[1]: Rumeysa Ozturk: An Unjust Detention Amidst Critical Writing (lawnetwork.org)[2]: Grad Student Fights Deportation, Raising Questions about Free Speech (bbc.com)[3]: Immigrant Detainee Freed as Judge Questions Free Speech Crackdown (nytimes.com)
In the realm of general news, the release of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, following her unjust detention amidst critical writing, has sparked discussions about free speech and its implications in academia and beyond. As this story unfolds, health-and-wellness concerns emerge as Ozturk embraces her newfound freedom to rest and return to her doctoral studies. Meanwhile, the political implications of her case are debated, with critics questioning the motives behind her detention and the potential chilling effect on free speech for non-citizens.
