Key takeaways:
- Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and international graduate student at Tufts University, was detained by DHS agents in Somerville, Massachusetts, despite holding a valid F-1 student visa.
- The circumstances of Ozturk’s detention are unclear, and she was apprehended while on her way to break her Ramadan fast with friends.
- Tufts University is monitoring the situation closely, expressing concern for Ozturk’s well-being, and working with her attorney to gather more information and provide support.
A Tufts University international graduate student was detained by federal authorities in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tuesday evening. The student, identified as Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national, was taken into custody by agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This incident was confirmed by both the university and Ozturk’s attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai.
According to Khanbabai, Ozturk was maintaining a valid F-1 student visa while pursuing her PhD at Tufts University. She was reportedly on her way to break her Ramadan fast with friends when she was apprehended near her residence. The circumstances surrounding her detention have not been fully disclosed, and it remains unclear why federal agents targeted her at this time.
Tufts University President Sunil Kumar addressed the situation in an email to the campus community. He confirmed that Ozturk was taken into custody outside an off-campus apartment building in Somerville. The university is closely monitoring the situation and has expressed concern for the well-being of its student.
The incident has raised questions and concerns among the university community and beyond, particularly regarding the treatment of international students and the enforcement actions by federal authorities. Ozturk’s attorney and the university are working to gather more information and provide support as the situation develops.
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