A federal judge has denied the Trump administration’s request to dismiss or move a case involving Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Öztürk from Turkey, who has been detained by immigration authorities. Judge Denise Casper has moved the proceedings to Vermont, rejecting the government’s request to dismiss the case or move it to the Western District of Louisiana. Öztürk was taken into custody by ICE after her visa was revoked in March.
The hearing was held in Boston federal court to determine the correct jurisdiction for the habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Öztürk, who was detained by DHS agents in Somerville, Massachusetts. The DHS alleged that Öztürk supported Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, which she denied.
Öztürk’s Massachusetts attorney accused the Trump administration of “forum shopping” by moving her to Louisiana, where courts may be less favorable. The U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that she was moved to Louisiana due to a lack of space in Massachusetts, but she was initially held in Vermont.
On March 26, hundreds of people gathered in Somerville to demand Öztürk’s release. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, ICE, and DHS for comment on the case. Öztürk had co-authored an op-ed calling for divestment from Israel in 2024.
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