Judge blasts ‘chilling’ effect on free speech, orders release of Tufts student detained for pro-Palestine stance

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish student working on her doctorate at Tufts University, was freed from immigration detention on May 9, 2025, after a federal judge ruled that holding her violated her First Amendment rights. Ozturk’s arrest on March 25, 2025, caused widespread anger among students, professors, and civil rights activists.

She was taken into custody on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts, by immigration officers who then moved her to a detention center in Louisiana. The reason for her arrest was the cancellation of her student visa, which was directly tied to an opinion article she helped write for the Tufts Daily, according to Reuters and the NY Times.

The opinion piece, published the year before, criticized Tufts University’s handling of student demands related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Students had urged the university to recognize what they called a “Palestinian genocide,” stop investing in companies connected to Israel, and reveal where its money was being spent. The university’s response, or lack of one, was the focus of Ozturk’s co-written article.

Student who was detained for supporting Palestine is free

The Department of State later revoked her visa, claiming her actions could harm U.S. foreign policy and make Jewish students feel unsafe. They also suggested the article showed support for a group labeled as terrorists.

Ozturk’s legal team argued that her arrest and detention were a clear attempt to punish her for using her right to free speech, which the First Amendment protects. They said the government’s actions were not only illegal but also meant to scare other international students and people who speak out in support of Palestinian rights. This argument was key to their request for her release.

In his decision, Judge William K. Sessions III of the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont agreed with these concerns. He said he was deeply troubled by the government’s actions, pointing out that they had not provided any real evidence beyond the opinion article to justify canceling her visa or detaining her.

Judge Sessions emphasized that keeping Ozturk locked up could discourage millions of non-citizens in the United States from speaking freely. He ordered her to be released right away and refused a government request to make her wear an ankle monitor. Despite the judge’s order, the Department of Homeland Security stood by its position, stating that “a visa is a privilege, not a right,” and that it would keep moving forward with deportation efforts.

A spokesperson repeated the department’s dedication to arresting, detaining, and removing anyone they believe is in the country illegally. During her six weeks in detention, Ozturk faced serious difficulties. She said her asthma attacks got worse and that the medical care at the detention center was poor.

She described cramped conditions, sharing a space meant for 14 women with 23 others. Her supporters organized large protests and rallies, calling for her freedom and drawing attention to the harsh conditions she endured. After being released, Ozturk thanked everyone who supported her and said she still believed in the American justice system, despite what she had been through.

Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Edward J. Markey welcomed her back to Massachusetts and promised to keep supporting her case. Her supporters warned that similar actions could happen to anyone who expresses opinions the government dislikes.