Senior Democrats called for the release of Tufts graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, writing to Trump administration officials for answers surrounding the “deeply disturbing” incident.
In a message to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ice Principal Todd Lyons, lawmakers said Oztulke was arrested in Massachusetts this week. Ice arrest Due to their political views, college students with valid green cards and visas. ”
“These events are disturbing events,” wrote Democrats, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and team members.
They added: “There is no compelling evidence for her detention and revocation of her identity and we call on Ozturk to release and restore visas.”
Video show Tufts University student arrests allegedly supporting Hamas
Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by Department of Homeland Security agents on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts on Tuesday, March 25. (AP)
The Democrats then asked the ICE to answer a number of questions by April 4, including:
- “Why did the Department of Homeland Security arrest Oztuk?”
- “What is the policy of DHS/ICE to use unmarked vehicles, facial coverings, regular clothing and display badges during the arrest?”
- “Will the Ministry of Homeland Security or any other agency compile college students with protests related to Palestine?”
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one Department of Homeland Security Ozturk was “granted visas to enjoy the privileges of this country”, a spokesman told Fox News Wednesday, “a DHS and Ice investigation found that Ozturk was engaged in an activity to support Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that appreciates Americans’ killing of Americans.”
“Visa is not a right. Glory and support for the killing of Americans are reasons to terminate the visa,” the spokesperson said. “It’s common sense sexual security.”
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A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News on Wednesday that Oztok was “granted visas to enjoy the privileges of the country”, and that “the Department of Homeland Security and Ice Investigations found that Ozturk was engaged in activities in Ozturk to support Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that appreciates Americans’ killing of Americans.” (AP)
The legal team representing Ozturk told Fox News that she had valid F-1 visa status before being arrested Tuesday in Somerville, north of Boston.
In their letter, the Democrats called Oztuk’s arrest and detention “disturbing.”
“The reason for this arrest appears to be the expression of the student’s political views on her. In this case, we call for completely appropriate procedures and seek answers about the case, as well as policies regarding ICE, which led to and arrested college students with effective legal status.”
Protesters gathered in a demonstration against Turkish state and Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk. (Erin Clark/Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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“Ozturk is one of four authors of Tufts student thesis column, recognized by 32 other Tufts graduate students who called for the Tufts government to make meaningful implementation of “resolutions related to Israel and Palestine and Palestine” and adopted by the university’s student Senate in 2024.”
Fox News’ Audrey Conklin, Alexis McAdams and Bill Melugin contributed to the report.
