Cliff Notes
- A US District Court judge has ruled that Turkish doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk cannot be deported while her case is under review, following her detention by immigration officials.
- Detained for allegedly supporting Hamas, Ozturk’s arrest has sparked protests and controversy, as the DHS has yet to provide evidence for the claims against her.
- The ruling has been met with approval from Ozturk’s lawyers, while the DHS maintains its stance that her actions justify visa termination.
Turkish student detained in US should not be deported for now, judge orders | US News
A judge in the US has ordered that a Turkish student should not be deported after she was detained by immigration officials.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student, was detained near her Massachusetts home earlier this week after she voiced support for Palestinians.
The federal judge in Massachusetts ordered on Friday that she should not be deported for now.
A video of the arrest by masked federal agents went viral after her detention at around 5.30pm on Tuesday.
The student is seen yelling as she is handcuffed, while one person is heard telling her: “We’re the police.”
A man is heard asking the six “why are you hiding your faces?” before agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lead her away.
“To allow the court’s resolution of its jurisdiction to decide the petition, Ozturk shall not be removed from the United States until further order of this court,” Friday’s order in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts said.
The DHS has accused Ms Ozturk of “engaging in activities in support of Hamas“, but has not provided evidence.
The group is categorised as a “foreign terrorist organisation” by the US government.
In a post on X, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Ms Ozturk of “glorifying and supporting terrorists” and said it was “grounds for visa issuance to be terminated”.
The court’s ruling has been welcomed by the Turkish student’s lawyers, who call her detention unlawful, but the DHS had no immediate comment, according to Associated Press (AP).
The Tufts University student co-wrote an opinion piece a year ago, criticising the institution’s response to calls to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide”.
US President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters.
But protesters say the Trump administration conflates their support for Palestinian rights with support for Hamas.
The Trump administration says it may have already revoked the visas of over 300 students and protesters.