Overview
- Immigration Judge Roopal Patel terminated the case on Jan. 29, a development disclosed in a Feb. 9 filing to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
- DHS condemned the ruling as judicial activism and labeled Öztürk a terrorist sympathizer, while retaining the option to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
- Öztürk was arrested in March 2025 after the State Department revoked her F‑1 visa citing an op‑ed critical of Tufts’ response to the Israel–Gaza war, and she spent about 45 days in detention before a federal judge ordered her release.
- Unsealed records reported in recent coverage indicated officials had no evidence she supported terrorist activity, with some materials relying on activist blacklists and social media posts.
- Her habeas petition challenging the legality of her detention remains pending before the 2nd Circuit, and her lawyers warn a government appeal could risk re‑detention.