BOSTON, MA – A Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University has been detained by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents, with video footage showing masked individuals handcuffing her as she shouted in protest.
Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was taken into custody Tuesday evening outside her home in Somerville. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, said authorities provided no explanation for her arrest and that Ozturk has not been charged with any crime.
Surveillance video obtained by the Associated Press shows six masked individuals surrounding Ozturk, seizing her phone, and placing her in handcuffs.
“We are unaware of her whereabouts and have not been able to contact her,” Khanbabai said, adding that Ozturk was legally residing in the U.S. on a valid student visa. The arrest occurred as she was leaving to meet friends for iftar, the meal breaking the daily Ramadan fast.
Tufts University President Sunil Kumar confirmed that an international graduate student had been detained but stated that the school had no prior knowledge of the situation and did not provide information to federal authorities.
Neighbors who witnessed the incident expressed alarm, describing the arrest as resembling a “kidnapping.” Michael Mathis, a Somerville resident, said his surveillance camera recorded the scene, showing unmarked vehicles and individuals covering their faces.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has ordered federal authorities to explain the grounds for Ozturk’s detention and instructed that she not be moved outside Massachusetts without prior notice. However, ICE records list her as being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana.
A DHS spokesperson later confirmed that Ozturk’s visa had been revoked, alleging she engaged in activities supporting Hamas, which the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist organization. The spokesperson stated, “A visa is a privilege, not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa termination.”
Ozturk co-authored a March 2023 opinion piece in The Tufts Daily criticizing the university’s stance on Palestinian issues. She was later featured on Canary Mission, a website that claims to track individuals it accuses of anti-Israel activism. Friends say she was not deeply involved in campus protests beyond the published article.
Similar visa revocations have occurred recently, with international students blocked from entering the U.S. or having their visas canceled due to participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Hundreds gathered in Somerville’s public park Wednesday evening, chanting “Free Rumeysa Ozturk” and waving Palestinian flags. Speakers condemned her detention and broader immigration policies affecting activists and students.
The Turkish Embassy in Washington stated it is closely monitoring the situation and engaging with the State Department and ICE to provide legal support for Ozturk.
The case has intensified debate over U.S. immigration enforcement, free speech, and international student rights as authorities prepare to respond to the court’s demands for further clarification.
