Federal Appeals Court Reviews Detention Cases of Tufts, Columbia Students

A federal appeals court in New York is considering the cases of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, and Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, both detained by immigration authorities after expressing pro-Palestinian views and criticism of Israel. The U.S. Justice Department is appealing lower court rulings and argues that immigration courts, not federal judges, have jurisdiction over their cases, and seeks to consolidate the two cases due to their similar legal questions. Ozturk, still held in a Louisiana detention center, and Mahdawi, recently released, both contend their detentions violate constitutional rights, particularly free speech and due process, as their legal immigration status remains unchallenged aside from their public statements. Ozturk’s detention followed the revocation of her student visa and was marked by claims from the Department of Homeland Security—without formal charges or public evidence—that she supported Hamas, a designated terrorist group. Lawyers and advocates argue the government is targeting these students for their public stances on the Gaza war amid a broader crackdown on alleged antisemitism on campuses. The appeals court has paused lower court orders as it deliberates on jurisdiction and the potential consolidation of the two cases.