BOSTON (WHDH) – A Turkish Tufts University student who spent more than six weeks in a Louisiana immigration center after she was arrested by ICE in Somerville joined state officials and her attorneys at Logan Airport for a news conference upon her return to Massachusetts.
Rumeysa Ozturk’s return came after U.S. District Judge William Sessions in Burlington, Vermont released her pending a final decision on her claim that she’s been illegally detained following an op-ed she co-wrote last year that criticized the school’s response to Israel’s war in Gaza.
“America is the greatest democracy in the world and I believe in those values that we share,” she said. “I have faith in the American system of justice. This has been a very difficult time for me, for my community, for my community at Tufts, for Turkey, but I am so thankful for all the support, kindness, and care.”
Ozturk is now free on bail and school officials say they’re looking forward to having her return to her studies and will offer her on-campus housing.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)