Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk was walking down the sidewalk in Somerville, Massachusetts, when several masked federal officers suddenly approached her. According to NBC News, without showing a badge or any proof of authority, officers grabbed Ozturk, handcuffed her, and forced her into a car before she was first transported to a detention facility in Vermont. Ozturk was in the U.S. legally on a student visa, and now sits in a Louisiana detention center, which she described as “inhumane” and “unsafe,” according to NBC News.
Ozturk isn’t alone in her experience — according to BBC News, nearly a dozen international students nationwide were detained on college campuses. Though some students were targeted for criminal records and immigration violations, others, like Ozturk, were detained for “participating in some form of pro-Palestinian activity,” according to BBC News.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ozturk was detained for alleged “pro-Hamas” activity related to the protests on the Tufts campus that occurred last year. Ozturk’s lawyers advocated that the only evidence connecting Ozturk to the protests is an Op-Ed piece she wrote for the Tufts Daily — Tufts’ student newspaper — in March 2024.
Currently, there’s minimal evidence to show that Ozturk committed any crime or immigration violation. According to her statements, she’s been provided with little insight into her detainment status and was violated by several immigration officials, including an instance where her hijab was forcefully removed by a nurse in the Louisiana facility.
As a journalist and a U.S. visa holder, this attack on her freedom of speech by the U.S. government infringes the rights guaranteed to the people by the First Amendment. Under this amendment, American residents are entitled to publish their opinions and protest through peaceful demonstrations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government has been revoking visas of residents “if they’re taking activities that are counter to… our national interest.”
As a journalist, Ozturk plays a crucial role in our nation. At all times, especially during times of turmoil, allowing journalistic freedom to thrive is a fundamental right permanently enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The US Government’s silencing of Ozturk is a concerning and unconstitutional action, and if the government goes through with her deportation, it will represent a major violation of the First Amendment.
In many ways, Ozturk is just like any of us: a student, a journalist, and a legal US resident. Her detainment is an unorthodox and un-American exercise of power that can encourage similar violations in the future. Freedom of the press and fundamental rights are not only crucial for representing diverse perspectives but also the very principles on which our country was founded.
A correction was made on April 27, 2025: An earlier version of this article was titled “Revoking student visas violates First Amendment”. The headline was modified to clarify that this is an editorial.
