Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old Turkish national and graduate student at Tufts University, was detained by ICE agents for allegedly supporting Hamas. Her attorney calls the detention concerning, and a judge ordered that she must remain in Massachusetts unless there is a valid reason to move her out of state. Ozturk’s whereabouts were initially unknown, and she has not been charged with any crime to date.
Ozturk’s case is part of a pattern of the Trump administration targeting students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. Another student, Mahmoud Khalil, was also arrested for allegedly supporting Hamas, leading to a legal challenge by his attorneys. Trump has expressed support for these arrests, vowing to deport individuals associated with terrorist organizations like Hamas.
Ozturk is described as a kind and gentle person by friends and colleagues, with no history of activism or hatred towards any group. She co-authored a piece in The Tufts Daily advocating for the university to divest from Israeli corporations, which may have contributed to her detention.
Other international students have also been detained by ICE, including Badar Khan Suri from Georgetown University. The Trump administration’s crackdown on non-citizens involved in pro-Palestinian activities has raised concerns about freedom of speech and academic expression on college campuses. The situation has sparked protests and calls for support for the detained individuals.
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