Press Release
Massachusetts Protest Demands Release of Detained Tufts Student
Somerville, Massachusetts – On March 26, 2025, over a hundred demonstrators rallied to call for the release of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, following her detention by federal agents. Initially arrested the previous day while walking near her apartment, Öztürk was taken to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Vermont and subsequently flown to a detention center in Louisiana.
Öztürk’s arrest has garnered national attention, particularly due to the political context surrounding her involvement in pro-Palestinian activism. Federal officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asserted that her visa was revoked due to her participation in protests advocating for Palestinian rights. However, friends of Öztürk dispute this claim, stating she was not heavily involved in campus activism.
Authorities claim that Öztürk was roadblocked from exercising her rights as a student and American citizen. The arrest, conducted by masked agents, was condemned by her legal representatives, who argued it represents a violation of free speech. In a recent court filing, claims emerged that ICE moved her to Vermont due to lack of appropriate detention facilities in Massachusetts.
The burgeoning movement advocating for Öztürk’s release has ignited conversations on immigration policies and civil liberties. Vermont’s Governor Phil Scott and other officials expressed concern regarding the implications of Öztürk’s detention, emphasizing the importance of constitutional rights.
As her case unfolds, advocates and lawmakers are pushing for reforms to protect the rights of immigrants in the state, against what they describe as an alarming climate of heightened federal enforcement. Public interest in Öztürk’s situation continues to rise, with calls for greater scrutiny of immigration practices and policies in the U.S.
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