Press Releases

Court Rules Rümeysa Öztürk’s Lawsuit Should Move Forward in Vermont and Orders ICE to Transfer Her Back to New England

Marking a hopeful development for Rümeysa Öztürk, a federal court in VT has ruled that her lawsuit challenging her ICE detention will proceed there and has ordered her return to the state by May 1. The court's action offers a positive step as Ms. Öztürk and her legal team contest her detention.

Rümeysa Öztürk Denied Bond, Remains Unlawfully Detained in Louisiana

Legal team urges federal court to promptly bring Rümeysa Öztürk back to New England, as an immigration court yesterday denied bond to the former Fulbright scholar and current Tufts Ph.D. student, drawing increased attention to the pending district court decision regarding her release.

Attorneys for Rümeysa Öztürk argue for her release from ICE detention in Vermont District Court filings 

Attorneys for Tufts University Ph.D. student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was wrongfully detained by ICE in retaliation for an op-ed that she co-wrote, will argue for the VT district court judge to order her immediate release from an ICE detention center to be reunited with her community in Somerville, MA.

Hearing in Rümeysa Öztürk’s case scheduled for Monday, April 14, in Vermont District Court

A hearing is scheduled in VT District Court for the case of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts Ph.D. student and Fulbright scholar who was wrongfully detained by ICE in retaliation for an op-ed that she co-wrote. VT district court Judge William Sessions will hear oral arguments from her attorneys on April 14.

ACLU Statement on Vermont’s Response to Title VI Certification Request

The Trump administration’s goal here is no secret: it has openly announced its intention to brazenly weaponize Title VI as leverage to coerce schools into abandoning speech, ideas, and practices the administration does not like through an interpretation of the statute that prohibits DEI.

More Than 100 Vermont Organizations Urge Governor and Legislators to “Speak Up and Take Action” to Defend Democracy

Vermont businesses, faith communities, and nonprofits call for strong, responsive state leadership amid “rapidly escalating constitutional crisis”

ACLU Sends Letter of Support to Universities in Vermont Urging Them to Protect Campus Speech

Following White House actions targeting dissent, the ACLU is issuing guidance to colleges and universities affirming their constitutional obligation to protect students’ free speech rights.

ACLU, Pregnancy Justice Sue Vermont DCF for Violating Reproductive Liberty Amendment, Rights of Pregnant Vermonters

Abetted by service providers, state agency secretly investigated expectant parent, lied to a state court to obtain custody of her fetus, and attempted to force her to undergo a cesarean surgery; case points to systemic lack of accountability in Vermont’s child protection system

ACLU Vermont Statement on November Election Results

As a nonpartisan, government accountability organization, the ACLU of Vermont is clear-eyed about the threat President-elect Trump poses to our nation and our state.