Federal agents took Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral candidate at Tufts University, into custody on Tuesday night, March 25, 2025, near her home in Somerville. Ozturk's arrest has raised significant concerns among her friends and supporters, who suspect she may be the first Boston-area college student detained by federal authorities over her pro-Palestinian activism.
According to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, Ozturk was on her way to meet friends to break her Ramadan fast when she was apprehended. "We are unaware of her whereabouts and have not been able to contact her," Khanbabai stated, adding that no charges have been filed against Ozturk as of now.
The circumstances surrounding Ozturk's detention appear to be linked to her activism. Days before her arrest, a pro-Israel group known as the Canary Mission reportedly doxxed her due to her anti-Israel stance. Ozturk was one of several students who authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily, calling on the university to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide" and divest from companies with ties to Israel.
As news of her detention spread, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to ensure Ozturk would not be removed from the District of Massachusetts without prior notification. However, ICE records indicated that she was being held at the South Louisiana Correctional Center in Basile, Louisiana, raising questions about whether she was moved before the order was issued.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that Ozturk was "engaged in activities in support of Hamas," a designation that has sparked outrage and confusion among her supporters. "Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated," the official stated, although they did not provide specific evidence to support this claim.
Ozturk's academic background adds another layer to this unfolding story. She previously obtained a master's degree from the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College at Columbia University and was described by friends as a "soft spoken, kind and gentle soul." Reyyan Bilge, a psychology professor at Northeastern University and a close friend, expressed disbelief at the allegations against Ozturk, stating, "Over the 10 years I’ve known her, she’s never spoken badly to anyone else, let alone being antisemitic or racist."
In the wake of her detention, a significant protest erupted on March 26, with over a thousand people gathering at Powder House Square near the Tufts University campus. Demonstrators chanted slogans like "Free Rumeysa Ozturk now" and raised Palestinian flags, expressing their outrage over her arrest and the broader implications for free speech and civil liberties.
Among the protesters was Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who characterized the situation as "disturbing" and emphasized the need for scrutiny of the federal administration's actions. "It is alarming that the federal administration chose to ambush and detain her, apparently targeting a law-abiding individual because of her political views," Campbell stated.
Democratic U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley also condemned the arrest as a "horrifying violation of Rumeysa’s constitutional rights to due process and free speech," urging for her immediate release. Pressley’s remarks echoed a growing concern that the current administration is increasingly targeting student protesters for their political beliefs, particularly those related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The protests reflect a broader discontent with how the Trump administration has handled issues of immigration and free speech, particularly among students. Activists argue that Ozturk's arrest is part of a larger pattern of intimidation against those who voice dissenting opinions regarding U.S. foreign policy.
Michael Mathis, a local resident whose surveillance camera captured Ozturk’s arrest, described the incident as looking "like a kidnapping." He noted that the agents involved were masked and in unmarked vehicles, raising further concerns about the methods employed by federal authorities. "They’re literally black bagging people on our streets in our city, and it’s unacceptable," Mathis said.
As the situation continues to unfold, legal experts and advocates are closely monitoring Ozturk's case. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has ordered the government to provide an explanation for Ozturk's detention by March 28, 2025, and has mandated that she not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without 48 hours advance notice.
Fatema Ahmad, executive director of the Muslim Justice League, commented on the broader implications of Ozturk's arrest, stating that such actions are not isolated incidents but rather part of a systemic issue affecting many immigrants and activists. "People are being disappeared every day, like on their way to work, dropping off their kids, trying to go to work and so on," she remarked.
As Ozturk's supporters rally for her release, the case raises critical questions about the intersection of immigration policy, free speech, and the rights of international students in the United States. The outcome of this case may set a significant precedent for how similar situations are handled in the future, especially in an increasingly polarized political climate.
