US Democratic lawmakers demand answers on controversial detention of Turkish student

WASHINGTON

More than 30 Democratic lawmakers have called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to explain the detention of Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk following her article criticizing Israel.

In a letter sent Thursday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, 34 Democratic members of Congress raised concerns over the arrest of Ozturk.

Ozturk, 30, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University and Fulbright scholar, was arrested by ICE late Tuesday near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts while heading to an iftar dinner.

“The rationale for this arrest appears to be this student’s expression of her political views,” the lawmakers wrote. “We are calling for full due process in this case and are seeking answers about this case and about ICE’s policy that has led to the identification and arrest of university students with valid legal status.”

Ozturk’s whereabouts were unknown for nearly 24 hours, with ICE’s online detainee locator system initially failing to list a detention facility. By Wednesday afternoon, she was confirmed to be held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, despite a federal court order barring her removal from Massachusetts for 48 hours without prior notice.

While DHS has not publicly disclosed the basis for Ozturk’s arrest, lawmakers expressed concern that her detention fits a pattern of ICE targeting university students "because of their political views."

"These are deeply troubling incidents. The Administration should not summarily detain and deport legal residents of this country merely for expressing their political views," the lawmakers wrote.

"Absent compelling evidence justifying her detention and the revocation of her status, we call for Ozturk’s release and the restoration of her visa," the letter added.

The letter demands answers on the legal justification for Ozturk’s arrest, the use of unmarked vehicles and masked agents during detentions, and DHS policies regarding visa revocations for students engaged in activism.

Among the 34 signatories of the letter are representatives Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, and Senators Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.

Authorities claim Ozturk engaged in activities supporting the Palestinian group Hamas—an allegation her family and advocates strongly deny. The authorities did not provide any evidence linking Ozturk to violence.