The US immigration authorities have detained and revoked the visa of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, who had expressed support for Palestinians in Israel’s war in Gaza. According to Reuters, her detention marks the first known immigration arrest of a Boston-area student engaged in such activism under President Donald Trump’s administration. Supporters claim that several foreign-born students in the US legally have been detained or targeted for detention due to their involvement in pro-Palestinian protests.
A video of Ozturk’s arrest shows masked and plainclothes agents taking the 30-year-old Turkish national into custody near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tuesday evening, as she was reportedly on her way to break her Ramadan fast with friends, her lawyer said.
US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated in a post on X that authorities determined Ozturk had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.” However, she did not specify the exact activities Ozturk was allegedly involved in, as reported by Reuters. Ozturk, a Fulbright Scholar and doctoral student in Child Study and Human Development, was in the US on an F-1 visa.
She tweeted, “Rumesya Ozturk is a Turkish national & Tufts University graduate student, granted the privilege to be in this country on a visa. DHS + ICE investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organisation that relishes the killing of Americans. A visa is a privilege not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security.”
Following her arrest, her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, filed a lawsuit arguing that Ozturk was unlawfully detained. In response, US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ordered the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) not to move Ozturk out of Massachusetts without at least 48 hours’ notice. Yet, by Wednesday night, Ozturk had already been transferred to Louisiana, despite the court order, her lawyer confirmed, as reported by Reuters.
Democratic US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called Ozturk’s arrest “the latest in an alarming pattern to stifle civil liberties.” Her detention sparked large demonstrations in Somerville, where protesters carried signs reading “Resist,” “Defend student voices,” and “Release Rumeysa Ozturk now!” as reported by Reuters.
Her case has drawn widespread attention, raising concerns about academic freedom, free speech, and immigration policies. Civil rights organizations have urged authorities to ensure due process, while Ozturk’s supporters continue to demand her immediate release. The situation remains fluid, with legal proceedings and public protests gaining momentum.
