A lawyer representing a Turkish university student detained in the United States and facing deportation said Thursday that his client had been unlawfully abducted.
Earlier this week, a video surfaced on social media showing 30-year-old Rumeysa Öztürk being detained by masked, plain-clothed figures near Tufts University in Massachusetts.
The video quickly went viral as a symbol driving the fear and anger gripping US campuses as President Donald Trump clamps down on students accused of having extremist views.
Öztürk had written an op-ed in a student newspaper condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, and although she had a valid student visa, is now being held pending her deportation.
Immigration lawyer Mahsa Khanbabai complained that Öztürk had been taken to a detention center in the southern state of Louisiana, despite a court order saying that she must remain in Massachusetts.
“Masked DHS agents unlawfully arrested my client,” he said, referring to the Department of Homeland Security and adding that 24 hours after her arrest on Tuesday morning, Öztürk was transferred to Louisiana.
“Throughout that period of time, my client was not charged or given the opportunity to speak with a lawyer,” Khanbabia said.
“I had the opportunity to speak with Rumeysa late Wednesday night, and she was grateful to finally get an explanation of what was happening to her.”
The disturbing video of PhD student Öztürk’s arrest has made her one of the most prominent victims of Trump’s immigration crackdown, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear on Thursday that she is far from alone.
Asked about her case and reports that up to 300 students could be facing deportation, Washington’s chief diplomat said, “Maybe more than 300 at this point. We do it every day.
“Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” he told reporters. “At some point I hope we run out because we’ve gotten rid of them.”
Rubio said foreign students that “participate in movements that are vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus” would lose their US visas.
But Khanbabai protested, saying, “Rumeysa has not been accused of committing any crime, and DHS has not produced any evidence that she was engaged in any unlawful activities.”
“It appears the only thing Rumeysa is being targeted for is her right to free speech.”
© Agence France-Presse