A federal court in Boston has ordered the reinstatement of the student status of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University PhD student and pro-Palestinian activist, clearing the way for her to return to on-campus work that had been blocked for months.
The decision, issued by Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, found that the Trump administration likely acted unlawfully when it terminated Ozturk’s record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) — a database used to monitor foreign students in the United States.
🛑 ICE Terminated Her Record the Same Day She Was Detained
Ozturk’s SEVIS record was terminated on the same day in March when masked, plainclothes ICE agents detained her in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Her arrest went viral after video footage spread widely on social media, sparking outrage among civil rights organisations.
Judge Casper ruled that the termination of her record appeared unjustified and that the government’s explanations were “shifting” and inconsistent with immigration rules.
📚 What the Ruling Means
With her SEVIS record restored:
- Ozturk can once again work on campus
- She can resume her teaching duties
- She can continue working as a research assistant
These roles are critical to her career development as she nears completion of her PhD.
Ozturk said she was “grateful for the ruling” and hoped no one else faces similar treatment.
🔍 Why She Was Targeted
Ozturk’s visa was revoked last year after she co-authored an editorial in Tufts’ student newspaper criticising the university’s response to Israel’s war in Gaza.
The Trump administration had begun a crackdown on foreign students engaged in pro-Palestinian activism on U.S. campuses, leading to her detention.
She was held for 45 days in a Louisiana detention facility until a Vermont federal judge ordered her immediate release, saying she presented a substantial claim of unlawful retaliation, violating her First Amendment right to free speech.
📌 Judge Notes “Irrational” Government Action
In her latest ruling, Judge Casper noted that the government at times falsely claimed Ozturk had violated her student status.
Since officials now acknowledge she stayed compliant with all requirements:
“It is all the more irrational that the government has imposed negative consequences on her that are inconsistent with that status,”
Casper wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the ruling.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
