MEDFORD, Mass. – Tufts University has taken a bold step by petitioning a federal judge to release doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was detained by immigration authorities earlier this year. The university’s move marks a significant pushback against the Trump administration’s recent arrests of foreign students, highlighting growing tensions between higher education institutions and federal immigration policies.

Öztürk, a student from Turkey, was taken into custody on March 25 in Somerville, Massachusetts, where Tufts University is located. She is currently being held at a detention center in Louisiana. The university’s public declaration of support for Öztürk underscores its belief that her detention is unjust and unnecessary, emphasizing her importance as a valued member of the academic community.

According to Tufts, Öztürk co-authored an opinion piece in the university’s student newspaper criticizing the university’s response to the war in Gaza and advocating for divestment from ties to Israel. Despite these actions, Tufts asserts that Öztürk’s detention does not align with the university’s understanding of immigration laws and policies.

The Trump administration has invoked a rarely used provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to justify the arrests of Öztürk and other international students in recent weeks. This clause allows the secretary of state to deport noncitizens if their presence in the country is deemed to pose potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

Öztürk’s attorneys argue that her detention is retaliatory in nature, pointing to her past activism and speech as reasons for her arrest. They contend that Öztürk’s case is part of a broader pattern of targeting individuals associated with pro-Palestine activism and stifling free speech on college campuses.

The hearing for Öztürk’s case is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. ET. Her legal team will argue for her immediate release and return to Massachusetts, challenging the administration’s actions as an attempt to punish dissenting voices and suppress political advocacy among students. The outcome of the hearing could have significant implications for the treatment of foreign students in the United States and the broader context of academic freedom and free speech on college campuses.