Tufts University calls for immediate release of Turkish student detained by US authorities
LA protesters demand release of Tufts student Öztürk (Photo: Getty Images)
Tufts University has petitioned a federal court to immediately release Turkish student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was arrested by US immigration authorities directly off the street, NBC News reports.
Rümeysa Öztürk, a doctoral student from Turkey at Tufts University, was apprehended by Department of Homeland Security officers on March 25 near the campus in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Video footage of her arrest, widely shared online, shows plainclothes officers forcibly pushing her into an SUV as she screamed for help. In a formal declaration, the university described Öztürk as "a valued member of the student community" and stated that there was no justification for her detention.
"The University seeks relief so that Ms. Öztürk is released without delay so that she can return to complete her studies and finish her degree at Tufts University," the official statement read.
Student arrests for criticizing authorities become widespread
Öztürk’s detention is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration targeting international students who criticize US foreign policy.
Authorities have invoked a rarely-used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, allowing them to deport foreign citizens whose presence might pose "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences."
In recent weeks, students from Columbia, Cornell, and Georgetown universities have also been detained under similar circumstances.
Öztürk’s attorney, Esha Bhandari, argues that the authorities are abusing the law to silence activists critical of US policy: "Rümeysa’s arrest and detention were designed to punish her speech and intimidate other students. This is systematic pressure against anyone involved in pro-Palestinian activism."
A court hearing for Öztürk’s case is scheduled for Thursday. Her attorneys are demanding her immediate release and return from Louisiana to Massachusetts, closer to the university.
The situation has already triggered widespread concern among students and faculty, who now fear international travel and are even hesitant to openly participate in campus activities due to fears of persecution.
International students are increasingly reconsidering their education plans in the US as fears of surveillance, travel restrictions, and potential deportation rise under Trump’s immigration policies.
