A doctoral candidate at Tufts University, Rumeysa Ozturk, was picked up by US immigration authorities on March 25th near Boston. Ozturk was a Turkish native who was studying in the United States on an F-1 student visa and was driving over to meet her friends for the Ramadan meal when she was arrested near her house in Somerville, Massachusetts. No charges have been filed against Ozturk, her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, said, and she has not yet been processed into her detention center.
The arrest has garnered attention since Ozturk was accused of taking part in activities that promote Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a statement that an investigation had shown Ozturk to have engaged in such activities, resulting in the revocation of her visa. The DHS further asserted that visa benefits may be revoked if the visa holder favors groups that harm Americans.
Despite all of these allegations, however, Ozturk’s lawyers still have not been given some information regarding allegations against her or evidence. Khanbabai had brought a habeas petition in a Massachusetts court requesting the court not transfer Ozturk out of the district without notice. A federal judge granted this, but Ozturk was then unnoticeably transferred to an ICE processing center in Basile, Louisiana, and this has also raised issues regarding her treatment and communication.
Tufts University, where Ozturk was pursuing her PhD, stated that they did not know about the incident until after her arrest. The university confirmed that Ozturk’s visa had been canceled and was troubled by the lack of information. The university’s legal office is actively involved in assisting Ozturk in gaining access to outside legal services. The circumstances of the arrest and visa cancellation, however, remain unclear.
As events unfold, Ozturk’s lawyers and supporters wait for further details regarding the charges and the fate of her academic and legal status.
