Dear Friends, Allies, and Supporters,
We are raising urgent funds for the legal support of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Fulbright scholar and TuftsUniversity graduate student residing in Massachusetts on a valid student visa who is detained by ICE for advocating for human rights and dignity for all.
On Tuesday, March 25th, Rümeysa was heading out to meet with friends to break her Ramadan fast when she was abducted by masked, plainclothes agents who didn’t identify themselves until after she asked who they were, falsely claiming to be the police. For nearly 24 hours, we could not locate or contact Rümeysa. Despite a court order preventingher removal from Massachusetts, the Trump administration shipped her to Louisiana, over a thousand miles away from her support network and legal team.
Rümeysa has not been accused of committing any crime and DHS has not produced any evidence that she was engaged in unlawful activities. Instead Rümeysa has been harassed and smeared online by anti-Palestinian hate groups who point to an op-ed she co-authored in the school newspaper last spring urging the university to accept a student government resolution to divest from companies with ties to Israel. The op-ed demanded the university acknowledge the Palestinian genocide and affirmed the “equal dignity and humanity of all people.”
Why Rümeysa Needs Your Help
We should all be horrified at the way DHS targeted and abducted Rümeysa in broad daylight. No person, regardless of their citizenship status, should be targeted over their views, especially in support of human rights. Rümeysa is a kind and compassionate person, an educator, whose passion is to support children, especially refugee children or those who have suffered trauma and hardship.
Rümeysa is now in a detention center in Louisiana, far from her friends, university community and her attorneys making her legal defense very difficult.
Where Your Donations Will Go
Your support is needed to help Rümeysa’s urgent and evolving needs as we work to secure her release and support her during this incredibly difficult time. Funds will be used for:
Immigration Court Legal Defense and Advocacy: Ensuring Rümeysa has access to strong legal representation and resources for her immigration court case.
Immigrantion Bond Assistance: If required, ensuring Rümeysa can be released as soon as possible.
Living Support: Helping Rümeysa during this crisis to cover her living expenses.
Medical and Health-Related Needs: Addressing any urgent healthcare expenses for Rümeysa. This is especially important considering Rümeysa has an asthma condition and has been detained without access to all her medications, which could lead to severe health concerns.
How You Can Help
Donate – Any amount helps, no matter how small. Every dollar goes toward securing Rümeysa’s freedom.
Share – Please share the video of Rümeysa’s abduction and this campaign widely with your networks to spread awareness.
Advocate – Contact Tufts University and elected officials to demand action for Rümeysa's release, as well as your own alma mater to ask them to uphold free speech for all, and that universities protect and defend their international students.
We are working urgently to secure Rümeysa’s immediate release and her safe return home. Donate today and join us as we fight for justice for Rümeysa Öztürk!
This fundraiser is organized by Rümeysa Öztürk's Immigration Court legal team.