US State Dept finds no evidence linking Turkish student to antisemitism, terrorism: Report

The U.S. State Department reportedly found no evidence that Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, engaged in antisemitic activity or publicly supported Hamas prior to her detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 25.

An exclusive memo reviewed by The Washington Post revealed that while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recommended revoking Ozturk’s visa based on her participation in anti-Israel demonstrations, the State Department did not find sufficient grounds under current statutes to support that claim.

DHS memo cites anti-Israel activism, not terrorism

According to the memo, senior DHS official Andre Watson justified the revocation by stating that Ozturk had “participated in an anti-Israel protest” and co-authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily, “calling on Tufts University to divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.”

However, the State Department found that “apart from participating in an anti-Israel protest and authoring a piece urging Tufts University to divest from companies linked to Israel,” there was no other evidence supporting allegations that Ozturk had been involved in antisemitic or pro-Hamas activities.

The memo further stated that “no terrorism-related information was found in U.S. government databases regarding Ozturk.”

Visa revoked under discretionary authority

Unable to find sufficient grounds for visa cancellation under the standard foreign policy provisions, the State Department approved the revocation using a different clause in the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows cancellation at the discretion of the Secretary of State.

A separate document dated March 21 indicated that “due to ongoing ICE operations security, this revocation will be silent; the Department of State will not notify the subject of the revocation.”

The department later responded to inquiries by saying, “We do not comment on ongoing or pending litigation.”

Arrest in Massachusetts sparks backlash

Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student, was detained and then arrested on the evening of March 25 while heading to an iftar, a fast-breaking dinner, with friends.

She was surrounded by six masked ICE officers and taken into custody.

Initially held overnight in Vermont, she was flown to Louisiana the next day. Her legal team, friends, and the Turkish consulate were unable to locate her for over 24 hours, during which her lawyers say she experienced an asthma attack.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ozturk’s student visa had been canceled and that she would be deported. Rubio said, “More than 300 foreign students who support Hamas” or are ‘anti-Israel radicals, ‘ had their visas revoked.

A federal judge halted Ozturk’s deportation shortly after her arrest. On April 4, U.S. District Judge Denise Casper determined that her hearing should take place in Vermont, where she had initially been held, not in Louisiana, where she was later transferred.

Legal team cites violation of free speech

In a sworn statement, Ozturk said she had no prior knowledge of the visa cancellation. “I was on the phone with my mother when several men surrounded me on the sidewalk. One of them grabbed me. I screamed,” she wrote.

“I didn’t think that they were the police because I had never seen police approach and take someone away like this. I thought this was a strange situation and was sure they were going to kill me,” she added.

She lastly added, “I was handcuffed, then chained at the waist, and put in ankle shackles.”

Her lawyers claim that deporting Ozturk would violate her freedom of expression.

A student group at Tufts also issued a statement, saying, “We strongly oppose the content of the op-ed that Ozturk coauthored last year, but restricting freedom of speech is flat-out undemocratic and un-American. Freedom of speech in a democracy is sacred. It ensures that dissent is heard and that people can express themselves—it is the best tool we have to fight tyranny. Right now, our freedom of speech is under attack.”

Rubio defends actions despite State Department findings

When questioned about the State Department’s finding that there was no supporting evidence, Rubio responded by referencing a recent opinion piece he authored for Fox News, stating, “Visiting America is not an entitlement. It is a privilege extended to those who respect our laws and values. And, as Secretary of State, I will never forget that.”

He also warned reporters, “I would caution you against solely going off of what the media has been able to identify.”

“U.S. visa holders should know in no uncertain terms that the U.S. government’s rigorous security vetting does not end once a visa is granted,” Rubio said.

In another statement, he added that Ozturk‘s removal was “not just because you want to write op-eds but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, and creating a ruckus.”

There has been no evidence presented linking Ozturk to vandalism or protest leadership.