Immigration judge says Trump administration cannot deport Tufts student
An immigration judge has found there were no grounds to deport a Turkish graduate student whose arrest by masked agents last year was an early salvo in the Trump Administration’s crackdown on migrants.
The decision by the judge, Roopal Patel, came last month and was disclosed in federal court by lawyers for the student, Rumeysa Ozturk, this week. It effectively means that the government has no legal justification to deport Ms. Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts University.
Judge Patel, who as an immigration judge is a Justice Department employee, blocked any further proceedings against Ms. Ozturk, but the government can appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
A State Department official said in an email in response to the decision that the Trump administration would abide by all laws, regulations and court orders.
Ms. Ozturk said in a statement that she had breathed a sigh of relief at the decision, knowing that her case “may give hope to those who have been wronged by the U.S. government.” [Continue reading…]