A chilling video has surfaced showing the moment 30-year-old Turkish PhD researcher Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested by masked ICE agents near her apartment as she headed to break her Ramadan fast with friends. The footage has sparked widespread concern, not just for the way the arrest was conducted, but for the circumstances surrounding it.
Ozturk, who holds a valid F-1 student visa, is reportedly being detained in Louisiana after being informed she would be deported. According to her lawyer, the arrest comes shortly after she published an academic article critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza — raising questions about freedom of speech, academic expression, and potential political targeting.
In the video, bystanders can be heard questioning the federal agents, with one voice demanding, “Why are you hiding your faces?” The agents, wearing masks and tactical gear, made no public statement during the arrest.
Ozturk’s case has prompted strong reactions online and within academic circles, with many calling for transparency and accountability. Civil rights advocates are demanding her immediate release and a thorough investigation into whether her political views played a role in the arrest.
As the case gains national and international attention, legal experts and immigrant rights groups warn that it could set a dangerous precedent for international students and researchers in the U.S.
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