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Turkish Student Detained by ICE Despite Court Order Restricting Transfer

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University doctoral student, remains held in Louisiana after her arrest in Massachusetts, sparking protests and legal challenges over alleged violations of free speech and due process.

  • Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by ICE agents on March 25 while walking to an Iftar dinner in Somerville, Massachusetts.
  • Her F-1 visa was revoked by federal authorities, who allege without evidence that she engaged in activities supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
  • Despite a federal court order requiring advance notice before moving her out of Massachusetts, Ozturk was transferred to a detention center in Louisiana.
  • Her arrest follows a broader Trump administration crackdown on international students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, raising concerns over free speech and academic freedom.
  • Protests and calls for her release continue, with civil rights groups, lawmakers, and academics condemning the detention as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
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