An immigration judge has halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, ruling that the government failed to prove she was removable. The decision, issued on January 29, effectively ends for now the proceedings that began after her arrest last year.
Ozturk, a Turkish national, was detained in March after her student visa was revoked. The only reason provided for the revocation was an editorial she co‑authored in the university’s student newspaper, in which she criticised the school’s response to Israel’s war in Gaza. She was later released from immigration custody in May.
According to filings submitted to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals, the immigration judge concluded that the Department of Homeland Security had not met its burden of proof. Her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, confirmed that the ruling came from Immigration Judge Roopal Patel in Boston.
Ozturk said the decision brought her relief after months of uncertainty. She expressed hope that her case might inspire others who feel they have been unfairly targeted.
The ruling itself is not public, and the administration may still appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, which operates under the Department of Justice. DHS has not commented on the case.
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