Inhuman US immigration authorities detain pro-Palestinian PhD student in Boston

A statement released by the president of Tufts University revealed that Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student, has been detained in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her arrest reportedly stems from expressing pro-Palestinian views in a co-authored article.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that Ozturk’s student visa has been “revoked” following allegations of her involvement in activities supporting the Palestinian group Hamas, recognized by Washington as a “terrorist organization.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reiterated that possessing a visa is a privilege, not an inherent right. In a recent statement on platform X, DHS Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Glorifying and supporting terrorists who target Americans can lead to the revocation of visa privileges.” McLaughlin’s comments came amid allegations concerning a Turkish national but did not provide specific evidence regarding the individual’s purported ties to terrorism.

In March 2024, a 30-year-old Fulbright Scholar and student authored an opinion piece in The Tufts Daily, voicing strong criticism of Tufts University’s response to the anti-Israel protests, describing it as “wholly inadequate.” The scholar’s article called for the institution to divest from Israel, aligning with a primary demand of the protest movement.

Ozturk, previously a student at Columbia University, was reportedly “ambushed” by ICE agents as she left her off-campus residence to dine with friends, according to a statement from her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, reported by the Boston Globe.

A surveillance camera captured a dramatic incident on March 25, when a plainclothes federal agent was seen approaching an individual identified as Ozturk on the street. The footage, obtained from a neighbor’s security system, shows additional agents swiftly converging on her location before she was officially taken into custody.

An agent was observed confiscating the phone from her possession before restraining her hands and applying handcuffs.

On Wednesday, a large assembly of protesters convened at Powder House Park, urging the authorities to secure the release of Ozturk.

Sam Wachman, a participant in the rally, expressed deep concerns about the suppression of free speech on university campuses, stating, “Universities must serve as venues for the free and open exchange of ideas. The notion that an individual could effectively vanish from such a space simply for expressing a viewpoint is utterly alarming.”

City officials from Medford, the location of the university, participated in the rally following their review of the video.

In a recent legal move, Khanbabai has filed a petition with a federal court in Massachusetts, requesting the release of Ozturk from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.

In the latest development targeting international students linked to pro-Palestinian activism on U.S. campuses, a foreign student has faced deportation amid former President Trump’s expansive crackdown on the movement. This campaign, which Trump has intensified, is in response to the opposition against what activists describe as Israel’s aggressive military actions in the Gaza Strip.

Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil recently claimed he is a “political prisoner,” alleging that his arrest by U.S. police was an attempt to quell dissent following his role in organizing pro-Palestine demonstrations earlier this month.

A detainee in Louisiana has described himself as a political prisoner in a statement obtained exclusively by The Guardian. Writing from his detention facility, he detailed a daily routine that sees him awaken to cold mornings and endure long hours observing what he referred to as the “quiet injustices” affecting numerous individuals excluded from legal protections. This statement was released to the British newspaper on March 18.

In a statement, Khalil criticized the United States for its handling of immigrants in detention, condemned Israel’s intensified airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, and took aim at U.S. foreign policy. Additionally, he accused Columbia University of yielding to federal demands to discipline students.

The detention of the individual has ignited protests and raised concerns among free speech advocates, who assert that he is being unjustly singled out due to his activism. His legal representatives argue that the Trump administration is employing seldom-used legal measures to facilitate his deportation, despite the absence of criminal charges against him.