Massachusetts Gov. Healey calls arrest of Turkish Tufts University grad student ‘deeply disturbing’

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is speaking out about the arrest of a Turkish Tufts University graduate student by federal agents last week in Somerville.

Last Tuesday, Rumeysa Ozturk was taken into custody by masked ICE agents near her apartment. Those officers are heard on surveillance video telling Ozturk they were “police.”

Federal officials later confirmed that Ozturk’s student visa had been revoked and that she had been taken to an ICE detention center in Louisiana. No charges have been announced against her.

Healey expressed her concern Monday about legal residents being taken from the state.

“It appears that she’s been targeted not because of crimes she committed, because she hadn’t committed any crime, but she’s been targeted because of what is free speech, and something that she signed onto in a student newspaper. So, that is very concerning, deeply disturbing,” Healey said.

“We need answers. We need answers from the Trump administration about what they’re doing,” she continued.

On Friday, Ozturk’s lawyers filed a petition to have her returned to Massachusetts and released from custody. They say the federal government has until 5 p.m. Tuesday to respond.

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