Tufts Student Exonerated By State Department In Allegation Probe

hand holding up a sign reading anti-semitic crimes

A State Department investigation has cleared Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk of antisemitism allegations after she was detained by ICE in a controversial arrest that sparked nationwide protests.

Key Takeaways

A State Department memo found no evidence linking Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk to Hamas or antisemitism despite accusations.
Ozturk was arrested by masked ICE agents near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, and had her visa revoked without prior notice.
More than two dozen progressive Jewish organizations have filed a brief supporting Ozturk’s release from a Louisiana detention center.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously announced her visa revocation, citing anti-Israel activism.
A Boston judge has ruled that Ozturk cannot be deported until jurisdiction over her arrest is determined.

Detention Sparks Widespread Concern

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a controversial operation caught on surveillance video. Masked immigration agents surrounded and arrested her near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her student visa was revoked without prior notice, and she was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana where she has been held for over two weeks. The arrest has drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates and numerous Jewish organizations concerned about the tactics used against Ozturk.

According to official documents, Ozturk was initially accused of supporting Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. However, a State Department internal memo has now revealed that investigators found no evidence connecting her to Hamas or antisemitic behavior. Despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s public statements linking her visa revocation to anti-Israel activism, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and State Department could not substantiate claims that she posed any security threat.

Rumeysa Ozturk said of her arrest that, “I felt very scared and concerned as the men surrounded me and grabbed my phone from me.”

so even in their own words they are literally deporting her for writing an op-ed https://t.co/QLzmCG4Ndi pic.twitter.com/t8yki6FS8O

— tyson brody (@tysonbrody) April 14, 2025

Jewish Groups Rally Behind Detained Student

In a remarkable development, more than two dozen progressive Jewish organizations and congregations have filed a brief in federal court supporting Ozturk’s release. This coalition includes synagogues from West Newton, Massachusetts, San Francisco, and New York’s Upper West Side, along with J-Street, a prominent pro-Israel advocacy group. Their legal filing, submitted in Burlington, Vermont, directly challenges the government’s actions against Ozturk, arguing that using antisemitism as justification for her detention is misguided and inappropriate.

The coalition’s filed brief read, in part, “Jewish people came to America to escape generations of similar predations.”

The coalition’s brief draws direct parallels between Ozturk’s arrest and the oppressive tactics historically used by authoritarian regimes that many Jewish ancestors fled. This support comes at a critical time as nearly 1,000 international students and scholars in the United States have reportedly lost their legal status since mid-March, according to the Association of International Educators. Many visa revocations have occurred with little or no notice, leaving students uninformed about alleged infractions.

Legal Battle Continues

Ozturk’s detention appears linked to her co-authoring an opinion piece that criticized Tufts University’s response to resolutions on Palestinian issues. Her attorneys argue that her detention violates her constitutional rights, particularly her First Amendment protections. Secretary Rubio has defended the government’s actions, stating: “If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter the United States, and with that visa participate in that sort of activity, we’re going to take away your visa.”

A Boston judge has intervened in the case, ruling that Ozturk cannot be deported until jurisdiction over her arrest is properly determined. A hearing for her case is scheduled in Vermont, where a federal court will review the legal arguments presented by both sides. The State Department has declined to comment on the situation publicly, stating they “do not comment on ongoing or pending litigation.” Meanwhile, Ozturk remains in detention, reportedly facing difficult conditions in the Louisiana immigration facility where she is being held.

Here is the answer: The State Department has no evidence linking Rumeysa Ozturk to antisemitism or terrorism, Washington Post reports, citing a March memo ahead of her immigration hearing in Vermont on Monday.

However, the department is pursuing her deportation under the Cold… https://t.co/7J6IDG4Gc9 pic.twitter.com/bEU2Wct19C

— Rabia İclal Turan (@iclalturan) April 14, 2025