In a significant legal decision, an immigration judge has terminated removal proceedings against Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, effectively halting the Trump administration’s bid to deport her based on her pro-Palestinian activism. The ruling, announced by her attorneys on Monday, February 9, 2026, found that the Department of Homeland Security failed to meet its burden in proving she should be removed from the United States.
The immigration court’s termination order was issued on January 29 but was revealed in a filing to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City on February 9. Öztürk, a Ph.D. student from Turkey studying children’s relationship to social media, had been detained by plainclothes ICE agents in Somerville, Massachusetts, in March 2025 after her F-1 student visa was revoked. Her arrest, captured on chilling video that showed her screaming as officers surrounded her, sparked national outrage and highlighted the administration’s aggressive tactics.
Öztürk was held for over six weeks in an immigration detention center in Louisiana, where she suffered asthma attacks without adequate medical care. A federal judge ordered her release in May 2025, citing concerns that her continued detention could chill free speech. She returned to Massachusetts but faced ongoing removal proceedings until the recent termination.
The Trump administration targeted Öztürk after she co-authored an opinion piece in the Tufts student newspaper criticizing the university’s response to the war in Gaza and calling for divestment from Israel. Authorities accused her of supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, but unsealed court documents showed no evidence to back this claim. The government invoked a rare provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, arguing her presence could have adverse foreign policy consequences.
In terminating the proceedings, the immigration judge concluded that DHS had not proven its case for deportation. Öztürk’s lawyers, including representatives from the ACLU of Massachusetts, hailed the decision as a victory for due process and free speech. They argued that the administration was manipulating immigration laws to silence critics of Israeli policies and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Öztürk expressed relief in a statement, saying, “Today, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that despite the justice system’s flaws, my case may give hope to those who have also been wronged by the U.S. government.” She acknowledged the pain of detention but found heart in the justice served. Her immigration attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, called the ruling “a powerful affirmation of fairness and the rule of law.”
In response, a DHS spokesperson criticized the decision as “judicial activism” and labeled Öztürk a “terrorist sympathizer,” asserting that visas are privileges that can be revoked for advocating violence. The spokesperson emphasized the administration’s stance against anti-Semitic rhetoric, but Öztürk’s supporters see the termination as a rebuke of overreach.
The case underscores broader concerns about the treatment of noncitizen activists and the use of immigration enforcement to curb political speech. Öztürk’s habeas corpus petition continues, and she has been permitted to resume her doctoral research and teaching. This ruling may set a precedent for similar cases, reinforcing judicial oversight in immigration matters and protecting free expression for international students in the U.S.
