Turkish Scholar Returns Home After High-Profile Deportation Battle

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts PhD candidate targeted in Trump-era deportation efforts over pro-Palestinian advocacy, has returned to Turkey after a year-long legal fight and ICE detention episodes. A settlement with the DHS allowed her to leave the United States without further interference, with officials acknowledging she was in the country legally. The case, seen as part of a broader push against foreign scholars who advocate for Palestine, drew scrutiny from the ACLU and civil rights groups who say protest and op-ed writing are protected by the First Amendment. Ozturk said she plans to continue her scholarship in Turkey and expressed solidarity with other academics facing similar pressures.