Tufts graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk arrested by ICE. MA AG calls it 'disturbing'
The arrest of Tufts University by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is being called "disturbing" by the Massachusetts Attorney General.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national legally in the U.S. with a F-1 visa, was arrested by ICE agents near her home as she was on her way to meet friends to break her Ramadan fast, her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, told Paste BN on Wednesday.
USA Today reported that a senior Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said "that investigators found that Ozturk 'engaged in activities in support of Hamas," a designated terrorist organization.'"
"A visa is a privilege, not a right," said the spokesperson, who declined to be named. "Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security."
Khanbabai did not immediately respond to a USA Today request for comment about the development regarding Ozturk's activism regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
Last March, Ozturk co-authored a piece published in The Tufts Daily, the school's student newspaper, that called on Tufts to divest from Israeli corporations and "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide."
Attorney General Campbell's response
Campbell released a statement that said that her office is monitoring the matter closely.
"The footage of Rumeysa Ozturk's arrest — a student here legally — is disturbing," Campbell said.
She also said that, based on the current information available, this arrest was an act of intimidation, executed because of Ozturk's political beliefs, rather than her danger to public safety.
Judge orders that Ozturk must remain in state
USA Today reporting said that U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to keep Ozturk in Massachusetts, as well as provide 48-hour notice if the agency wants to move her outside the state and justify why, according to filings obtained by the publication.
Moreover, the judge also issued an order that gave immigration officials until Friday to respond to a filing to have her appear in court.
“We are unaware of her whereabouts and have not been able to contact her," Khanbabai said. "No charges have been filed against Rumeysa to date that we are aware of."
Thousands gathered to protest the arrest of this graduate student yesterday.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.