US choose halts deportation of Turkish scholar at Tufts accused of supporting Hamas

A federal choose in Massachusetts quickly halted the deportation of Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old Turkish doctoral scholar at Tufts College.

Ozturk, 30, who voiced help for Palestinians throughout Israel’s conflict in Gaza, was detained earlier this week by US immigration officers who’ve accused her, with out proof, of supporting Hamas.

The US Division of Homeland Safety has accused Rumeysa Ozturk of “participating in actions in help of Hamas,” which the US authorities designates as a “overseas terrorist group.” Nevertheless, no proof has been offered to substantiate these claims. Ozturk’s authorized group argues that she is being unfairly focused for her advocacy of Palestinian rights.

Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for Turkey’s overseas ministry, stated efforts to safe Ozturk’s launch continued, including consular and authorized help was being offered by Turkish diplomatic missions within the US.

“Our Houston Consul Basic visited our citizen within the heart the place she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizen’s requests and calls for have been forwarded to native authorities and her lawyer,” Keceli stated in a publish on X.

Ozturk’s arrest got here a 12 months after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts’ scholar newspaper criticizing the college’s response to calls by college students to divest from corporations with ties to Israel and to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide.”

In an order issued Friday, US District Decide Denise Casper in Boston quickly halted Ozturk’s deportation to permit time to find out whether or not her courtroom retained jurisdiction over the case. She directed the Trump administration to reply to Ozturk’s criticism by Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has vowed to deport overseas pro-Palestinian protesters, accusing them of supporting Hamas, selling antisemitism, and creating overseas coverage challenges.

The administration has reportedly revoked the visas of a number of college students and protesters, with claims of over 300 visas being rescinded.

(With enter from Reuters)