Rümeysa Öztürk was finally back in Massachusetts after a lengthy detention for the Turkish Ph.D. student of Tufts University.
She was greeted Saturday by Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, one day after she was released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the state of Louisiana.
The homecoming at Boston Logan International Airport was after Öztürk was unlawfully detained for more than six weeks before a federal judge in the state of Vermont granted her release on bail.
Her detention sparked national and international outrage after Öztürk was “abducted” on the streets of Somerville on March 8 by masked ICE agents. The arrest occurred after she penned a powerful op-ed for the Tufts Daily newspaper, where she condemned the hostile immigration environment under the Trump administration. She expressed concerns in the piece about the effects of the policies on international students and scholars, highlighting the systemic abuses within the immigration and detention systems.
Öztürk, a Somerville resident and beloved community member, delivered a heartfelt speech to supporters, emphasizing her gratitude and determination to resume her academic journey.
“Thank you everyone for all your support and love,” she said at a news conference at the airport. “I came to the United States to pursue my doctoral studies, learn and grow as a scholar, and also to contribute to a global community.”
“I would also like to remind you one more time, please don’t forget about all the wonderful women in the immigration and financial system,” she added.
Alongside Öztürk, her legal team, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Pressley and Markey condemned the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics and pledged continued support for Öztürk and others affected by similar abuses of power.
“Today we’re welcoming with open arms a beloved member of our Massachusetts 7th community, a brilliant scholar, a courageous advocate, and a survivor of a shameful injustice, Rümeysa Öztürk,” said Pressley. “And we’re sending a message to this hostile White House that their efforts to silence Rumeysa, crush dissent and undermine our constitutional rights are being rejected.”
The congresswoman, along with Markey and Rep. James P. McGovern, had traveled last month to ICE detention facilities in Louisiana, where Öztürk and fellow detainee Mahmoud Khalil were being held.
They reported finding inhumane conditions and alleged retaliation against detainees for protected speech.
“Today is a day of joy: We welcome Rümeysa Öztürk back to Massachusetts and back to her community in Somerville,” said Markey.
“Rümeysa should have never been abducted off the streets of Somerville. She should have never been taken out of Massachusetts and sent to a detention site in Louisiana – more than 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) away from her community.
“And she should have never had to suffer intolerable living conditions and multiple and worsening asthma attacks while unlawfully detained for more than six weeks,” he said.
He called her release “only the beginning of the fight for justice,” and said the case has national implications.
“We cannot allow this administration to trample individuals’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process,” he said. “Her homecoming is only the beginning of the fight for justice – not only for Rümeysa, but for every family, for every neighbor, and for everyone who wishes to ensure they can live free.”
Supporters have called for Öztürk’s full exoneration and restoration of her visa status so that she can continue her doctoral work and teaching at the school
Öztürk reaffirmed her commitment to her students.
“I am so excited to get back to my students and communicate with them through this online course,” she said.
The case has drawn national attention in what advocates describe as systemic abuses in immigration enforcement, especially concerning international students and scholars.
While Öztürk’s release marks a significant victory, lawmakers and activists stressed that broader policy reform is urgently needed.