Who Is Rumeysa Ozturk? Tufts University Student Detained by ICE

Federal agents on Tuesday detained another immigrant in the United States on a student visa, as she left her home to break fast for Ramadan in Massachusetts.

Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was seen on surveillance footage on a Somerville street as plainclothes officers approached and handcuffed her. The reason for her detention was not clear as of Wednesday afternoon.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not respond to a request for comment from Newsweek Wednesday afternoon, but Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin shared a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

"DHS + ICE investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans," McLaughlin posted. "A visa is a privilege not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security."

Why It Matters

Ozturk's arrest comes amid other detentions of immigrants with valid visas who have reportedly shown support for Palestinians since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. The administration of President Donald Trump has made it clear it will seek to revoke visas of those whose views do not fit with its foreign policy, leading to high-profile arrests including Mahmoud Khalil in New York City.

What Happened to Rumeysa Ozturk?

Ozturk, a Turkish citizen, was seen leaving her home on Tuesday evening when around six agents, some wearing masks, approached her. In the video footage, a man could be heard asking why officers, who claimed to be "the police," had their faces covered.

Her attorney Mahsa Khanbabai told Newsweek that the agents were from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a reason was not given for her arrest. Khanbabai has not been able to contact her since.

According to the attorney, Ozturk had a student visa that would allow her to remain in the U.S., but a statement from Tufts shared with Newsweek said that the visa had been revoked. The school was working to confirm whether this was true.

What We Know

ICE's inmate locator lists Ozturk as in detention in Louisiana, despite a habeas petition filed in Massachusetts federal court Tuesday to release her, where a judge ordered that Ozturk not be moved out of state.

The Turkish woman is a student at Tufts' doctoral program, and has a master's degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University.

In 2024, Ozturk was among several authors of an opinion essay criticizing Tufts' links to companies tied to Israel, and calling for the school to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide"—a message similar to the one Mahmoud Khalil had for Columbia University.

Khalil has since been detained by ICE, with the Trump administration seeking to revoke his green card, while other students in the U.S. on visas who have expressed support for Palestinians have also reportedly been targeted by federal agents, on the basis that their views oppose U.S. foreign policy.

What Is Canary Mission?

Ozturk's photo and details appear on a website called Canary Mission, a group that says it is dedicated to documenting individuals and organizations "that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses and beyond."

The group says it wants to combat the rise of antisemitism on college campuses—an issue well documented since the October 7 attack by Hamas and the subsequent war. Canary Mission says on its website that all information published about individuals is carefully verified before it goes live.

In the weeks following the outbreak of the war, when protests swept college campuses, some protesters fell prey to doxxing, with their personal information made public, leading to threats on their safety.

In 2024, Canary faced a lawsuit from the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which accused the group of aiding in the harassment of students whose information was publicized on its site.

What People Are Saying

Khanbabai, in a statement to Newsweek: "As of 1pm today, nearly 20 hours from when she was detained, I still have not been told where my client is. This is very bizarre and concerning. No charges have been filed against Rumeysa to date that we are aware of."

Michael Mathis, whose surveillance camera picked up the footage of the arrest, told the Associated Press: "It looked like a kidnapping. They approach her and start grabbing her with their faces covered. They're covering their faces. They're in unmarked vehicles."

Council on American-Islamic Relations Massachusetts Executive Director Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq., in a statement shared with Newsweek: "We unequivocally condemn the abduction of a young Muslim hijab-wearing scholar by masked federal agents in broad daylight. This alarming act of repression is a direct assault on free speech and academic freedom.

"Massachusetts residents must recognize the dangerous precedent being set—the federal government is resorting to draconian tactics to silence those who speak out against our nation's complicity in Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people. We demand Rumeysa Ozturk's immediate and safe release and full transparency regarding her detention."

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar, in a statement Tuesday: "The university had no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event, and the location where this took place is not affiliated with Tufts University.

"From what we have been told subsequently, the student's visa has been terminated, and we seek to confirm whether that information is true. The university has no additional information at this time about the cause or circumstances of the student's apprehension and is attempting to learn more about the incident."

What's Next

Khanbabai said a rally would take place in Somerville on Wednesday night. Trump has warned of further arrests of pro-Palestinian student protesters.