• Rumeysa Ozturk returns to Boston after six weeks in ICE detention.
• Her immigration detention was prompted by an op-ed criticizing university responses to pro-Palestinian activism.
• A federal judge criticized the lack of evidence supporting her visa revocation.

Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student at Tufts University, has returned to Boston after spending more than six weeks in immigration detention. Her release followed a federal judge's order in Vermont, who ruled that there was no sufficient evidence justifying her detention, which stemmed from an op-ed she co-authored criticizing her university's responses to pro-Palestinian movements, according to The New York Times, Reuters, and Los Angeles Times.

Upon her arrival at Logan Airport, Ozturk expressed relief, stating, "In the last 45 days, I lost both my freedom and also my education during a crucial time for my doctoral studies," highlighting the challenges she faced during her confinement. She thanked her supporters and expressed her intention to continue her fight in court, maintaining her faith in the American legal system, according to India Times, India Times, and Reuters.

Ozturk's detention and the subsequent legal proceedings raised serious concerns about free speech and immigration policies under the Trump administration. U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Senator Ed Markey were present to welcome her back, emphasizing the broader implications of her case for the rights of non-citizens and free expression. Pressley described Ozturk's treatment as "squalid and inhumane," calling efforts to intimidate individuals for speech a serious violation of rights, according to Los Angeles Times and India Times.

The Department of Homeland Security had previously claimed that Ozturk's actions might endanger U.S. foreign policy, asserting that her op-ed contributed to a "hostile environment". However, Judge William K. Sessions III dismissed these claims, noting the absence of evidence backing the accusations against her. Ozturk's legal team continues to contest her detention, arguing it undermines First Amendment rights and sets a dangerous precedent for free expression, according to The New York Times, India Times, and Reuters.