Federal government appeals order that would allow Öztürk to resume research at Tufts

The federal government is appealing a judge's order instructing them to reinstate the school record of Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk.

The order concerns her record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, which allows her to participate in research and teaching opportunities, including a position as a paid research assistant to her academic advisor.

Öztürk, who is from Turkey, was arrested by masked immigration agents on a Somerville street in late March. Her visa had been revoked without her knowledge after she contributed to a student newspaper op-ed criticizing Tufts's decision-making related to Israel. She was detained for more than six weeks before being released in May.

Judge Denise Casper, a federal judge in the District of Massachusetts, in December granted Öztürk's request to restore her school record, and ordered the federal government to reinstate her SEVIS record.

On Friday, the federal government defendants, which include acting ICE director Todd Lyons, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The appeal is docketed online with the First Circuit, but a copy of the petition is not available.

In previous court filings, the federal government argued in part that the court did not have jurisdiction over the case.