Federal authorities have intensified their monitoring and detention of pro-Palestinian activists across Massachusetts college campuses, raising concerns about civil liberties and academic freedom.
In a recent development, Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by federal officers in Somerville. The Department of Homeland Security claims Ozturk supported Hamas, though no evidence was provided. Her only known activism involved co-authoring an opinion piece in a student newspaper calling for Tufts to sever ties with Israel.
The arrest appears connected to the broader federal crackdown on campus activism following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. President Trump has vowed to deport students engaged in what the administration broadly defines as "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity."
After her arrest, Ozturk was swiftly transferred to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, despite a judge's order to keep her in Massachusetts. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, reports no formal charges have been filed.
"We are in touch with local, state, and federal elected officials and hope that Rumeysa is provided the opportunity to avail herself of her due process rights," said Tufts University President Sunil Kumar in a statement.
Similar cases have emerged across American universities. Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and Palestinian activist at Columbia University, faces possible deportation. Dr. Rasha Alawieh, set to begin as an assistant professor at Brown University, was deported despite holding a valid U.S. visa.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended these actions, stating: "We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist, to tear up our university campuses." The administration has revoked at least 300 visas under this policy.
The increased surveillance has sparked debate about the balance between national security and academic freedom on American campuses, as universities grapple with protecting student rights while navigating complex political tensions.