Federal government says detained Tufts student was taken to Louisiana due to lack of space in New England
By John Atwater, Alex Svenson
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BOSTON (WCVB) — The federal government said Tuesday that a Tufts graduate student was taken to a detention center in Louisiana because there was no space for her at facilities in New England.
Undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Rumeysa Ozturk last week in Somerville after her student visa was revoked.
Ozturk lawyers filed a petition to a federal judge in Massachusetts last week to let her out of custody, giving the federal government until 5 p.m. Tuesday to respond to their petition.
However, in a new filing on Tuesday, the federal government said the federal court in Massachusetts does not have jurisdiction over the case because Ozturk is being held in Louisiana.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) responded Tuesday night and said “the government is trying to play a cruel game of jurisdictional musical chairs with Ms. Ozturk’s life, and her rights and freedom hang in the balance.”
Protestors gathered outside of the JFK Federal Building in Boston on Tuesday to demand the release of Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk.
Surveillance video showed ICE agents taking Ozturk into custody last week in Somerville.
Ozturk, who is from Turkey, is accused by the federal government of “taking part in activities that supported Hamas.” They have not revealed the evidence in the case.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, a group of students staged a walkout at Tufts to support Ozturk, who remains in custody at an ICE facility in Louisiana.
There is no word yet on when the judge will issue a ruling.
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