Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk describes fear for life during masked US agents’ detention

Turkish Ph.D. student Rumeysa Ozturk said she feared for her life when masked U.S. agents detained her without warning outside her Massachusetts home last month, according to a court filing submitted Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Ozturk, a student at Tufts University, described the March 25 arrest as “strange,” writing: “I thought this was a strange situation and was sure they were going to kill me.” She said the men were in civilian clothing and did not initially identify themselves.

Speaking to her mother on the phone at the time, Ozturk said several men suddenly surrounded her, took her phone, and ignored her repeated demands for identification. Though one agent briefly flashed a badge, she said it was too quick to read and failed to reassure her.

Turkish academic Rumeysa Ozturk detained by US authorities after being targeted by pro-Israel groups for Palestine protests

◼️ Ozturk recently co-authored article condemning Israel's actions in Gaza

◼️She now faces deportation despite holding a valid F-1 visa pic.twitter.com/XEzbZobcXK

— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) March 26, 2025

‘I didn’t think they were police’

“I didn’t think they were police because I had never seen police approach and take someone away like this,” she wrote.

Ozturk said she was driven to multiple locations, including one remote site with four men, which she described as “terrifying.” She was later flown to a detention facility in Louisiana, where she said she suffered multiple asthma attacks and was denied adequate medical treatment.

One severe episode occurred during a layover in Atlanta, where she was unable to access her prescribed medication. She also described conditions at the Louisiana facility as “unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane,” citing overcrowding, poor hygiene, and verbal mistreatment.

Nurse tries to remove her headscarf without consent

Ozturk said that during a medical check, a nurse attempted to forcibly remove her headscarf, without a consent.

“She said, ‘You need to take that thing off your head,’ and took off my hejab (headscarf) without asking my permission,” Ozturk stated.

“I told her you can’t take off my hejab and she said this is for your health. After a few minutes, I put my hejab back on. But they did nothing to treat my asthma and gave me a few ibuprofen.”

Concerned about not being able to finish her studies

Hoping to return to Tufts to complete her studies, Ozturk said, “I only have about nine months left to complete it and am very concerned about not being able to finish my studies. I pray every day for my release so I can go back to my home and community in Somerville.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ozturk’s F-1 student visa had been revoked and defended the detention, claiming she engaged in activities supporting the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, though no evidence has been publicly provided.

A viral video captured the moment of her arrest, showing masked Department of Homeland Security agents handcuffing her and taking her phone.

Ozturk’s attorneys and supporters contend her detention stems from her co-authorship of an op-ed published in The Tufts Daily in March 2024, which criticized the university’s handling of the pro-Palestinian movement on campus.

Her case is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration targeting pro-Palestinian students and academics. Other recent detentions include Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, and Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri.