Tufts Student Detained Amid U.S. Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Activism

Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student from Turkey at Tufts University, has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on while heading to dinner in Somerville, Massachusetts. Surveillance footage captured plainclothes officers detaining her without prior notice. Reports indicate that her F-1 student visa has been revoked, a claim that Tufts University is currently investigating.

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar stated that the school was not informed of Ozturk's arrest in advance. Her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, has filed a habeas corpus petition challenging her detention, noting that no formal charges have been issued against her.

Ozturk's detention is part of a broader pattern of federal actions targeting students who advocate for Palestinian rights. The Trump administration has increased scrutiny of individuals involved in protests against Israel's targeting of civilians in Gaza, in an effort to appease Israeli interests and lobbying groups. Ozturk has been accused of supporting Hamas, a claim seen as an infringement on free speech.

Following her arrest, a protest was organized near Tufts University, where students and community members gathered to demand Ozturk's release. This situation follows a trend of cracking down on pro-Palestinian activism, with other students like Mahmoud Khalil from Columbia University and Badar Khan Suri from Georgetown University also detained for their stances in support of Palestine and against Israel's genocidal war in Gaza.