In a development that has ignited debates over academic freedom and civil liberties, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents detain Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old Turkish national and doctoral student at Tufts University. Ozturk is apprehended near her residence in Somerville, Massachusetts, while en route to an Iftar dinner during Ramadan. Surveillance footage shows six masked individuals in plain clothes handcuffing her and confiscating her phone before placing her in an unmarked vehicle.
The DHS alleges that Ozturk’s visa is revoked due to her purported support for Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. No criminal charges are filed, and specific evidence supporting this allegation has not been publicly disclosed. Officials cite “support of a foreign terrorist organization” as grounds for terminating her visa. Notably, Ozturk co-authors an op-ed in the Tufts Daily campus newspaper advocating for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and urging the university to acknowledge the “Palestinian genocide.”
Ozturk’s attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, argues that her client maintains valid F-1 visa status as a full-time PhD student and was unaware of any wrongdoing. A lawsuit is filed in Boston federal court challenging the detention as unlawful. A U.S. district judge issues an order preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from moving Ozturk out of Massachusetts without advance notice. Despite this, she is transferred to an ICE processing center in Louisiana, prompting further outcry over possible violations of judicial orders.
The incident triggers widespread protests near Tufts University, where hundreds of students, faculty, and activists gather to demand Ozturk’s release. Many see the detention as part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism under President Trump’s administration, which has amplified immigration enforcement and surveillance of individuals perceived as critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
This case follows similar detentions of international students and activists, including Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist, and Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian doctoral student, both held on vague allegations of ties to Hamas. Legal scholars and civil liberties groups voice concern that such cases reflect a growing trend of using immigration authority to stifle political dissent, particularly when it comes to criticism of U.S. allies or policy in Gaza.
Tufts University releases a statement expressing concern for Ozturk’s well-being and affirming its commitment to supporting students and academic freedom. The Turkish embassy in Washington is reportedly monitoring the case and engaging with U.S. officials on her behalf.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/tufts-graduate-student-detained-rumeysa-ozturk-video/
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/rumeysa-ozturk-tufts-trump-israel-gaza-2025
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/26/ice-agents-detain-tufts-university-graduate-student
https://apnews.com/article/08d7f08e1daa899986b7131a1edab6d8
https://youtu.be/gtTLu7CDOJA
https://youtu.be/okIAPLFX8wE
