ICE detains Tufts University student amid Trump admin's campus crackdown
Share and Follow

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained a Tufts University student in Somerville, Massachusetts, according to the agency and a statement from university President Sunil Kumar.

ICE confirmed Rumeysa Ozturk’s detention to Fox News on Wednesday. She is originally from Turkey.

“We have received reports that an international graduate student was taken into custody this evening by federal authorities outside an off-campus apartment building in Somerville,” Kumar said in a statement. “The university had no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event, and the location where this took place is not affiliated with Tufts University.”

Kumar noted that the school was told Ozturk’s visa had been terminated, and the university is looking into “whether that information is true.”

“We hope Rumeysa will be released immediately. Those who wish to support Rumeysa are welcome to attend a rally this evening in Somerville,” the Wednesday statement continued.

Tufts University campus

A rally will be held for Rumeysa Ozturk on Wednesday night, according to her legal team. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe)

In March of last year, Ozturk co-authored an op-ed in the Tufts Daily, a student newspaper, taking issue with the university’s response to several resolutions passed by the Tufts Community Union Senate on March 4, 2024, writing, “demanding that the University acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.”

Ozturk was a medical graduate student at the Tufts University Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development.

President Donald Trump on Jan. 30 signed an executive order to cancel the student visas of Hamas sympathizers on college campuses.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Executive Order 13899 aims to combat the “unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence against our citizens, especially in our schools and on our campuses,” since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, sparking the beginning of a 15-month war that has left tens of thousands of people dead.

“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” the president said in a Jan. 30 fact sheet on the executive order. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that the Department of National Intelligence describes as “the largest and most capable militant group in the Palestinian territories and one of the territories’ two major political parties.”

Hamas terrorists watch on as four hostages are released to the Red Cross as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas terrorists watch as four hostages are released to the Red Cross as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. (TPS-IL)

The Trump administration has also rescinded federal grants from Columbia University over its alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus.

“We realize that tonight’s news will be distressing to some members of our community, particularly the members of our international community,” Kumar said in his statement. “We will continue to provide information, support, and resources in the days ahead as more details become available to us.”

The cost of attendance at Tufts, before financial aid, is listed as between $80,000 and $90,000 on the university’s website.

Tufts is receiving $115.2 million in funds from the National Institutes of Health as of fiscal year 2025, the university’s website says, including $88.3 million in direct costs and $26.9 million in facilities and administrative costs.

Fox News’ Andrew Fone contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Jet crash carrying Libya’s top general triggers airspace shutdown over NATO capital

Libya’s Top General’s Fatal Jet Crash Sparks NATO Capital Airspace Shutdown

On Tuesday night, Turkey temporarily closed the airspace above its capital following…
Repeat offender allegedly kills Ohio man just days after nonprofit pays his bail

Ohio Man Tragically Killed by Repeat Offender Days After Nonprofit Bail Release Sparks Controversy

In Ohio, a frequent offender is facing accusations of committing murder shortly…
PGA issues cryptic statement on Brooks Koepka's LIV Golf departure

PGA Releases Enigmatic Statement Regarding Brooks Koepka’s Exit from LIV Golf

The PGA Tour has released a notably vague statement concerning Brooks Koepka’s…
Two men charged with rape after switching places during cruise hookup

Cruise Hookup Leads to Charges for Two Men in Shocking Identity Swap Case

Two American men are facing rape charges following allegations that they deceived…
Epstein wrote the president 'loved nubile girls' before suicide

Unveiled: Shocking Epstein Letter Reveals Presidential Ties to Young Women

In a disturbing 2019 postcard, Jeffrey Epstein alleged that “our president” has…
Joe Rogan rips Bill Clinton saying someone is being 'protected' after Epstein drop

Joe Rogan Unleashes on Bill Clinton: The Shocking Epstein Connection Exposed

Podcast powerhouse Joe Rogan recently ridiculed former President Bill Clinton’s appeal for…
Who was in Fergie and Andrew's inner circle before their disgrace?

Unveiling the Inner Circle: Key Players in Fergie and Prince Andrew’s Pre-Scandal Era

It’s difficult to envision anyone eagerly accepting an invitation to a Christmas…
Greta Thunberg arrested supporting Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike during London protest

Greta Thunberg Detained in London: Stands for Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike

On Tuesday, renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained in London during…