Dangerous Times in America: PhD Student Jailed for Her Views

In the middle of the day, a Turkish graduate student was handcuffed from behind by Trump agents and sent to prison, despite having a valid student visa. Her crime is supporting Palestine and criticizing Israel. In Trump's America, criticizing Israel is a crime...

According to reports in the American media, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University was taken into federal custody on Tuesday evening, sparking concerns among university officials and civil rights advocates. The student, Rumeysa Ozturk, was reportedly detained outside her apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts, by agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Ozturk, a doctoral student, held a valid student visa, according to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai. She was on her way to break her Ramadan fast with friends when federal agents intervened. "We are unaware of her whereabouts and have not been able to contact her," Khanbabai said in a statement, adding that no formal charges have been filed against her.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates under DHS, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar addressed the situation in an email to students, faculty, and staff late Tuesday night. Kumar stated that the university had been informed of Ozturk's visa termination but was working to verify the accuracy of this claim. He also clarified that Tufts administrators were not informed in advance of her detention and did not provide any information to federal authorities.

On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued an order preventing Ozturk’s transfer out of Massachusetts without prior written notice to the court. The order follows a petition filed by Ozturk, requesting judicial review of her detention.

Ozturk’s legal challenge names Patricia Hyde, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Boston field office, among other ICE officials, as respondents.

The incident has ignited discussions on the treatment of international students, particularly those involved in political activism. Ozturk was among the authors of an opinion essay published in March 2024 in the Tufts student newspaper, in which she criticized the university’s response to calls for divestment from companies linked to Israel. While the basis for her detention remains unclear, free speech advocates argue that deportations targeting student activists set a troubling precedent.

“If ICE detained Ozturk based on her op-ed or activism, it’s a worrying escalation in an already fraught environment for college students on visas,” said Tyler Coward, lead counsel for government affairs at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech advocacy group.

Ozturk’s former professor, Fatima Tuba Yaylaci, who supervised her undergraduate studies in psychology at Istanbul Sehir University, described her as deeply committed to human rights and child development research.

“She is a person who wouldn’t hurt a soul,” Yaylaci said. “She is extremely sensitive about human rights and inclusion.”

According to Yaylaci, Ozturk recently requested that photos of her and her friends be removed from the university lab’s social media pages, saying she was being doxxed—an indication that personal information about her was being circulated online with harmful intent.

The pro-Israel advocacy group Canary Mission has identified Ozturk on its website, stating that she engaged in "anti-Israel activism" in March 2024. Critics argue that the group’s efforts expose individuals to harassment.

This is not the first case of federal immigration authorities targeting student activists in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and leader of pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations, was arrested in New York by ICE. While Khalil holds permanent U.S. residency and has not been charged with any crime, the Trump administration has reportedly pushed for his deportation under executive orders aimed at combating antisemitism.

President Trump’s executive order, signed on January 29, directs federal agencies to take aggressive measures against what it deems antisemitic activity, including the removal of foreign nationals accused of unlawful conduct.

Civil rights organizations have voiced alarm over Ozturk’s detention. Jessie Rossman, legal director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, condemned the incident, calling for her immediate release.

“Nobody should be disappeared from the streets of Somerville—or anywhere in America,” Rossman said. “The government must immediately release her to her friends and community.”

Tufts University has urged students to familiarize themselves with protocols for responding to government agents on campus, emphasizing the importance of contacting university police in the event of unannounced visits.

Tufts’ main campus is located in Medford, Massachusetts, a small city adjacent to Somerville, where Ozturk was detained.

News agencies and SLHA - 27 March 2025