Federal immigration officials “ambushed” graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk on Tuesday near her off-campus mansion in Somerville, Massachusetts.
She is a scholar and activist for animal rights. She co-wrote an editorial in the Tufts student newspaper that criticized the school’s plan of excluding Israel-related businesses. Her ex-female professor at Istanbul Sehir University, Fatima Tuba Yaylaci, described her as” a sympathetic professor committed to animal right” who “wouldn’t upset a soul,” according to Firstpost.
Civil rights organizations and legal experts are questioning the legal justification for Ozturk’s imprisonment, which has sparked a lot of outcry.
Rumeysa Ozturk was detained for what reason?
When some members of the Department of Homeland Security detained Ozturk, a Muslim, on Tuesday nights as she broke her Ramadan fast with friends, Khanbabai reported.
Ozturk was detained outside her off-campus flat by federal immigration agencies. According to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, she was in possession of a true student card at the time of her arrest.
However, without giving an explanation, plainclothes Department of Homeland Security ( DHS) agents physically restrained and handcuffed her.
Events before her imprisonment were captured on surveillance footage. A lightly dressed man waves at her in the picture before entering her path. Ozturk blocks her again as he makes another move past him, engages her in a short exchange, and instantly grabs her hands. She yells,” What’s happening?” before officials move in to control her and transport her to an unknown SUV.
The video was described as “disturbing” by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who said:” It is troubling that the federal administration decided to ambush and arrest her seemingly because she is a law-abiding citizen because of her political beliefs.
complaints made against Ozturk
A top homeland security official claimed on Wednesday that Ozturk had “engaged in actions in support of” Hamas, calling for the suspension of card issuance.
No formal costs have been filed, and no people data has been provided to support the claims, according to a spokeswoman from DHS who explained that the card cancellation had “grounds for removal.”
Her attorneys filed a petition against her arrest in the Massachusetts federal district court. Judge Indira Talwani gave a decree forbidding the government from extraditing her without giving any prior see. Before the court’s directive became effective, Ozturk was transferred to the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center, according to immigration and customs enforcement ( ICE ) records.
The state” throws around wild charges but provides no evidence,” Khanbabai said, “like all the other immigration cases involving foreign students and activists who have spoken out about the atrocities in Palestine.” Rumeysa “hopes to become released right away.”
Civil rights and academic actions
Tufts University denied having any knowledge of the arrest in progress. The college president, Sunil Kumar, wrote in a letter to students that” We did not share any information with federal officials prior to the event, and the area where this took place is not affiliated with Tufts University.” He continued,” From what we have been told immediately, the child’s immigration status has been terminated, and we seek to ensure whether that knowledge is true.”
The arrest was denounced by the Massachusetts section of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Nobody should be obliterated from the pavements of Somerville, or somewhere in America, according to legal director Jessie Rossman.
One of a number of emigration enforcement actions aimed at foreign individuals who have ties to pro-Palestinian activism is Ozturk’s arrest. Coral Mission, a right-wing watchdog group that has been accused of deceiving pro-Palestinian activists, claimed Ozturk took part in anti-Israel activism in March 2024.
requirements and protests for transfer
An emergency march is holding at Powder House Square in Somerville as a result of the calls for Ozturk’s transfer. Followers, civil rights organizations, and other students are requesting her quick release and an open investigation into her arrest’s legitimate justifications.
