Days before masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Rumeysa Öztürk, a graduate student at Tufts University, for deportation, the U.S. State Department had concluded that there was no evidence linking her to antisemitic activities or terrorist group support. A March memo, described by The Washington Post, determined that Secretary of State Marco Rubio lacked sufficient grounds to revoke her visa under powers intended to protect U.S. foreign policy interests.
U.S. authorities accused Öztürk of supporting Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, but failed to present evidence backing the claim. This prompted the Turkish government to take diplomatic action for her release, with the Houston consul providing legal and consular assistance.
On March 25, 2025, Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, was arrested by Homeland Security agents while on her way to an iftar dinner during Ramadan. According to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, her F-1 student visa was revoked without warning, and she was transferred to a detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, despite a court order mandating 48-hour notice for out-of-state transfers.
The memo outlined in The Washington Post makes clear that Öztürk’s visa revocation is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration against international students and scholars, resulting in hundreds of similar cases. Despite claims by authorities of her support for Hamas, no solid evidence has been presented to substantiate these allegations. Öztürk is now at the center of a legal dispute, raising concerns over academic freedom and political repression in the U.S.
The case has sparked concerns among academics and civil rights activists, who see the arrest as an attempt to suppress political opinions expressed by international students. Öztürk had recently co-signed an article in the Tufts Daily, denouncing social inequalities and injustices, drawing the attention of both media and institutions.
Currently, a federal judge is reviewing the possibility of granting Öztürk bail, while legal authorities challenge the jurisdiction of the Vermont court where she is held, arguing the case should be handled in Louisiana. A new hearing is scheduled for April 14, 2025, to decide on her release.
