Tufts University International Graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk has been detained by federal authorities. CBS News reports that the student was arrested at an “off-campus apartment building” in Somerville, Massachusetts.
There was no forewarning about the nature of the arrest. Her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, states that his team is currently unaware of her whereabouts and has not been able to contact her.
Further information from WGBH deduces that Ozturk was heading to meet her friends to break her Ramadan fast. The student also has a valid F-1 status, which made it even more alarming when the university was told that Ozturk’s visa status had been terminated.
TUFT President Suni Kumar plans to assist Ozturk in connecting with an external legal team. He addressed concerns about the international community’s practices of federal authorities. This is a massive blow to the First Amendment and disregards the freedom of speech for internationals.
There have been protests on the Tuft campus, and witnesses have been cooperating with groups protecting immigrants. However, there are still no updates regarding Rumeysa Ozturk. Hopefully, we hear more information from ICE about this incident.