As the sun set on Tuesday in Somerville, Massachusetts, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and PhD student at Tufts University, was en route to an Iftar dinner to break her Ramadan fast with friends. Tragically, she never reached her destination. According to her attorney, Masha Khanbabai, Ozturk was arrested and physically restrained by immigration officers near her apartment, just steps away from the Tufts University campus.
Neighborhood surveillance footage reportedly shows six plainclothes officers surrounding Ozturk as she walked alone. The officers displayed their badges only after restraining her with her hands behind her back, as captured on the video. Ozturk is one of several international students linked to prestigious U.S. institutions who have faced arrests under the Trump administration, often for alleged affiliations with terrorist organizations. Notably, Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist, was arrested at his Columbia University residence earlier this month.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security stated that Ozturk “engaged in activities in support of Hamas,” though no specific details regarding those activities were provided. Importantly, no formal charges have been filed against her, as confirmed by her attorney.
Ozturk was pursuing her PhD at Tufts University on a valid F-1 visa, a status that permits international students to engage in full-time academic studies. In March 2024, she co-authored an op-ed in the university’s newspaper, criticizing Tufts’ response to the pro-Palestinian movement. In light of the recent events, Tufts University officials emphasized that they were unaware of her arrest prior to its occurrence. Tufts President Sunil Kumar stated, “The university did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event, and the location where this took place is not affiliated with Tufts University.”
Following the incident, Kumar expressed alarm over the video of Ozturk’s arrest, labeling it “disturbing.” He acknowledged the fear and anxiety that such situations can instill in the university community, particularly among international students. Kumar assured that the university is in communication with local, state, and federal officials, advocating for Ozturk’s right to due process.
A spokesperson for the State Department refrained from commenting on the specific details of Ozturk's case, citing privacy and visa confidentiality. They stated, “We generally will not comment on Department actions with respect to specific cases.”
Surveillance video, released on Wednesday and obtained by the advocacy group Muslim Justice League, captures officers approaching Ozturk casually as she walks on the sidewalk. An officer, wearing a hat and hoodie, grabs her arms, eliciting a fearful scream from Ozturk. Another officer displayed a concealed badge and confiscated her cell phone. Disturbingly, the officers obscured their faces with cloth coverings and sunglasses as they restrained her hands behind her back.
As the officers identified themselves, a bystander questioned, “Yeah, you don’t look like it. Why are you hiding your faces?” The arrest culminated with Ozturk being escorted into a waiting SUV shortly thereafter. As of now, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not responded to requests for comments regarding Ozturk’s situation.
Following her detention, Ozturk’s attorney filed a petition in the federal district court in Boston, challenging the legality of her arrest and requesting that she remain in Massachusetts. Judge Indira Talwani ordered that Ozturk should not be moved outside the district without prior notification. However, on Wednesday, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that she had been transferred to the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, raising questions about the timing of her transfer in relation to the court's order.
Ozturk now joins the ranks of other international students, including Khalil and Georgetown University fellow Badar Khan Suri, who have also been transferred to Louisiana under similar circumstances. Khanbabai criticized the government's actions, stating, “Like all the other immigration cases related to international students and activists who have spoken up about the atrocities in Palestine, the government throws around wild accusations but provides no evidence.” She expressed hope for Ozturk’s immediate release.
As the situation develops, many are left questioning the implications for international students and activists in the United States, highlighting a growing concern over immigration policies and their enforcement.
