Rumeysa Öztürk is a Turkish national who has been a significant figure in recent events due to her detention by U.S. federal authorities. She is a Fulbright scholar pursuing her Ph.D. at Tufts University's Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development. Öztürk's academic focus is on children's and adolescents' positive development in a digitally connected world, with a particular interest in how young people use social media in prosocial ways. Öztürk holds a master's degree from Columbia University's Teachers College, where she studied developmental psychology with a focus on children's media. She has been recognized for her scholarship, receiving a prestigious department fellowship. At Tufts, Öztürk has served as a teaching assistant, earning praise for creating an inclusive learning environment and mentoring undergraduate students. Recently, Öztürk was detained by ICE agents in Somerville, Massachusetts, on March 25, 2025. She was taken to Louisiana for detention, where she experienced health issues, including asthma attacks, due to conditions in the facility. The detention was widely reported as a result of her co-authoring an op-ed criticizing Israel's actions, which some interpreted as a reason for her targeting by federal authorities. Despite allegations of supporting Hamas, Öztürk has not been charged with any crime, and her case has sparked controversy over free speech and political activism. Öztürk was released on bail on May 9, 2025, after a federal court ruling, allowing her to return to Tufts and continue her studies while her case proceeds. Her situation has drawn attention to issues of immigration, academic freedom, and the treatment of detainees in ICE custody.
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A federal judge rules against deportation efforts targeting pro-Palestinian academics, upholding free speech on campuses.