Latest news with #Ozturk
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Rümeysa Öztürk describes ICE detention in op-ed: ‘All we wanted was to be seen as human again.'
'All we wanted was to be seen as human again,' she wrote. 'We felt invisible, stripped of our identity as breathing and living human beings.' Öztürk was the basis of her arrest was A career immigration official testified in federal court Tuesday Advertisement In the op-ed, Öztürk described her fear as she was 'suddenly surrounded and grabbed by a swarm of masked individuals,' handcuffed, and shoved into an unmarked car. 'Thousands of questions crept up in the hours that passed,' she wrote. 'Who were these people? Had I been a good enough person if today was my final day? I was relieved to have finished filing my taxes, but I couldn't shake the thought of a book I needed to return to the library. I regretted not calling my grandparents and friends that day. My mom had heard my scream on the phone when they were taking me.' Advertisement Over the next few days, she was transferred to several immigration facilities in New England, Georgia, and finally, an all-women facility in Basile, La., she recounted. Öztürk described the difficult living conditions, trying to sleep in the same 'freezing' cell with 23 other women, under constant fluorescent lighting. She said random headcounts were often conducted in the early hours of the morning. 'For the first time in my life, I realized that sleep — real sleep — is actually a luxury,' she wrote. She said her asthma was exacerbated by the 'damp, dusty, and overcrowded' conditions, and described crying for help when she had a 'severe asthma attack.' She said officers did not respond until women began banging on the windows to get their attention. Ozturk said she struggled to celebrate the end of Ramadan. She said that a Catholic detainee told her 'even God cannot hear us here,' although the woman prayed night and day just the same. 'I asked her if it was God who could not hear us, or if it was people like me before this experience, who either know nothing about the immigration detention system or prefer to ignore or forget about it,' Ozturk wrote. But Öztürk said that the women in the facility formed a solidarity, 'providing shoulders to cry on, prayers to cling to, and hugs filled with compassion.' Detainees included immigrants from countries such as Colombia, Armenia, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, Ozturk said. Among their ranks were a Pilates instructor, a visual arts teacher, a professional violinist, and a singer with 'almost a million' social media followers. Advertisement 'Many women wept day and night, longing for their families,' she wrote. 'My friends showed me letters from their young children, accompanied by sweet photos of them and mischievous pictures of their pets. Some of the children are in their home countries; some are waiting in different states with other caregivers; and others have been taken into the foster care system. I learned that women have even been separated from their babies after giving birth.' Öztürk was ordered released by a Vermont judge on May 9, who noted that she had no criminal record and said her continued detention was steadily worsening her asthma. She In the op-ed, she said she left a letter for the other women in the facility under her bed, thanking them for their compassion. 'I learned from them that even in the most inhumane conditions, human dignity cannot be stripped away from human beings unless they decide to give up,' she wrote. 'I learned from these strong women what solidarity looks like.' Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
Middle East Eye
6 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Most Turkish people say Turkey should obtain nuclear weapons in new poll
A recent survey in Turkey reveals a significant shift in public opinion over nuclear weapons, with a majority of respondents now supporting their development in response to heightened regional tensions, particularly following Israeli strikes on Iran last month. The poll, conducted by Research Istanbul between 1-5 July, surveyed 2,000 people nationwide. Its findings highlight growing insecurity among Turkish citizens regarding national defence and Turkey's ability to withstand potential threats. Despite Turkey being a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) since 1979, which legally prohibits Ankara from developing, acquiring or testing nuclear weapons, 71 percent of respondents believe Turkey should start developing such arms, with only 18 percent opposed. While the Turkish government has made heavy investments in the defence industry in recent years, public confidence regarding air defence systems remains low. Nearly half of those surveyed doubt the effectiveness of Turkey's air defence systems in the event of an attack. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The recent success of Iranian ballistic missiles in penetrating Israel's advanced air defences and causing considerable damage has further fuelled debate within Turkey over the nation's own defensive capabilities. Scepticism also extends to Turkey's alliances. According to the poll, 72 percent of respondents do not believe Nato would effectively defend Turkey if it were attacked. 'Pervasive sense of external threat' 'These findings reflect growing public anxiety amid escalating regional conflicts in the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus,' said Erdi Ozturk, a professor at London Metropolitan University. 'The pervasive sense of external threat is driving Turkish society to consider security measures that were previously taboo, including the pursuit of nuclear deterrence.' Ozturk added that, despite longstanding political divisions, security concerns are increasingly uniting Turkish society around a common mindset. To address immediate concerns over its ageing air fleet, Ankara has recently negotiated deals to purchase F-16 and Eurofighter jets as a stopgap measure until its own fifth-generation aircraft, the Kaan, is delivered - expected as early as 2028. 'Many citizens believe Turkey must rely more heavily on its own military capabilities' - Erdi Ozturk, London Metropolitan University 'Many citizens believe Turkey must rely more heavily on its own military capabilities,' Ozturk explained, 'especially as ongoing negotiations over fighter jets like the F-16 and F-35 fuel public scepticism about the reliability of foreign partners.' Ankara has not yet made any statements or taken any steps indicating research into nuclear weapons. Turkey is currently building its first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, in partnership with Russia's Rosatom. Estimated at costing $20bn, it will consist of four reactors with a combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts (MW), expected to provide around 10 percent of Turkey's electricity needs when it goes into operation next year. Ozturk further noted that widespread scepticism regarding Nato's willingness or ability to defend Turkey is closely linked to deep-seated anti-American sentiment, which continues to be a significant factor shaping public attitudes toward security and defence policy.
Middle East Eye
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Trump resumes visa applications for international students, but with increased vetting
The State Department announced on Wednesday that it is ending the pause on visa applications for foreign students. However, the process, which has been suspended since May, will include intensive online vetting, including requiring applicants to set all of their social media privacy settings to 'public'. The State Department said it needed to 'ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests'. The announcement also asserted that applicants needed to prove that they would 'engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission', which is being seen as an attempt to deter students from participating in pro-Palestine activism on university campuses in the US. On 25 March, the Trump administration arrested Tufts graduate Rumeysa Ozturk after her profile was posted on a pro-Israel doxxing website. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Ozturk had been targeted for writing an opinion article in a student newspaper the year before, criticising Tufts University's response to a pro-divestment vote from the student senate. Ozturk was released from detention in May, but her detention set a precedent for a larger crackdown by the Trump administration on foreign students. In April, the visas of thousands of international students were revoked seemingly indiscriminately. Several students went into hiding or self-deported over fears that they would be arrested. The Trump administration abruptly backtracked on the decision to revoke visas weeks later. Wednesday's move to review the social media accounts of foreign students is also not the first time the Trump administration has used social media vetting to monitor international students. On 9 April, the Trump administration announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be screening the social media accounts of international students at universities affiliated with 'antisemitic activity'. The State Department also reportedly told consulates to prioritise applicants hoping to attend a college where less than 15 percent of the student body were international students. On 28 May, US President Donald Trump asserted that Harvard University should cap international enrollment at 15 percent. Chinese international students Chinese international students have come under particular scrutiny from the Trump administration in recent months. The 270,000 Chinese international students studying in the US make up around a quarter of the 1.1 million international students in the country. On 28 May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the DHS would be working closely with the State Department to 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students'. Rubio's statement singled out students 'with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields'. It reflects accusations from the Trump administration that Chinese international students pose a national security risk. On 11 June, Trump backtracked on the plan to revoke visas for Chinese students. He posted that the presence of Chinese international students 'has always been good with me'.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Keller: Poll finds strong disapproval of how ICE handled arrest of Tufts student
The opinions expressed below are Jon Keller's, not those of WBZ, CBS News or Paramount Global. A new poll of three New England states including Massachusetts finds strong disapproval of how ICE is handling immigrant arrests. "Thank you everyone for all the support and love," said Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk last month as she was freed after 45 days in ICE detention. But some supporters of Ozturk were in a less cheery mood after weeks spent working for the release of the student, hauled off the street by masked ICE agents for the offense of co-authoring an op-ed article in the Tufts student newspaper calling for an end to hostilities in Gaza. "She was never charged with any crime," noted ACLU Executive Director Carol Rose. "The government never produced any evidence that she had done anything wrong." The polls show continued support for President Trump's overall handling of immigration. But not for sending armed troops to the streets of Los Angeles, and definitely not for siccing ICE on the likes of Ozturk, whose arrest video made news all over the world. Poll shows disapproval Ozturk case A new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of voters in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island finds a whopping 70% disapproved of the way her case was handled, with 58% strongly objecting. Just 16% approved. Surveillance video shows Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk apprehended in Somerville, MA, on March 25. CBS Boston "They like the intent, but they don't like the methodology," said Suffolk pollster Dave Paleologos. "She didn't creep over the border in the back of a van and meet up with some seedy characters to plot to protest and overthrow the government. It could be your niece, your nephew, your grandchild and that's troubling." It's an overreach even the most hardline backers of the president's immigrant crackdown find hard to swallow. "Even within the Republican party there's compassion and empathy and pushback in terms of how ICE is treating these cases," notes Paleologos. It's pretty clear that voters wanted something done about dangerous criminals here illegally. And now they're making it clear that a mild-mannered college student who co-wrote a benign op-ed piece isn't what they had in mind. But Paleologos suggests the proof will be in the crime statistics. If they take a nosedive, Trump will be widely applauded for his policies despite its mistakes. If they don't, more than a few will wonder -- what on earth was this all about?
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Video of Rumeysa Ozturk Being Detained by ICE Was Publicized By a Community Defense Network
Anadolu/Getty Images Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take On March 25, masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Rumeysa Ozturk as she walked down the street in the Boston suburb of Somerville. Ozturk is in the United States legally on a student visa and is by most accounts model citizen — a Fulbright scholar, PhD student at Tufts University, and, as argued by her lawyers, guilty of nothing. Her crime, according to the Trump administration, seems to be supporting Palestine. Ozturk's arrest is sensational in the literal sense, and the video is in many ways traumatic to watch. The masked agents appear out of nowhere, encircle the academic, and put her in handcuffs as she asks what's happening. Although it echoes the tactics we're seeing and hearing about ICE arrests all over the country, these stories are usually shared by word of mouth in rumors or whispers among neighbors. But Ozturk's situation stands out because we can watch it. That's because, as her detention was happening, another student called a community watch hotline that had started operating that week. 'He said, 'Someone's being kidnapped, someone's being kidnapped,'' recalled Danny Timpona, the LUCE Hotline operator who took the call. The hotline team dispatched 'verifiers' in Somerville — people trained to verify hotline calls and social media rumors of ICE's presence in a given area — who arrived within five minutes. They met with the caller, who was unsure who had taken Ozturk. The volunteers began knocking on doors and talking to neighbors, trying to find out if anyone might have information on what had happened, and also to calm any panic by giving out information about the hotline. A neighbor turned over the video, reportedly captured by a home security camera, that has now been seen by millions. Those volunteers are some of the more than 750 who have been trained in the last six weeks at 'community hubs' in over a dozen cities across the state, where 50 hotline operators with member groups of the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts are now answering calls in five languages. ('LUCE' connotes 'shining a light,' in Latin, a language familiar to the region's large Catholic immigrant population.) And they're providing other resources as well. Later in the week, the group gave know-your-rights training to more than 100 Tufts students and community members. Timpona credits a 40-page Google Doc that was published just Donald Trump was inaugurated. LUCE is connecting immigrant community groups, prison abolition organizations, legal services, parent groups, and faith-based organizations. 'Our coalition is rooted in the idea that we refuse to leave anyone behind because of their marginalized identity,' shares Jaya Savita, director of the Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network and a member of the LUCE Network. 'The hotline and ICE Watch resource is one of many ways we are empowering allies and impacted community members. We recognize that in order to build people power, we need to train, empower, and equip our communities and allies.' Most of the group's tactics, from the hotline dispatch system to neighborhood-based rights workshops, are modeled on those our team at Siembra NC used to organize immigrant workers and community members in North Carolina during Trump's first term. And they're not the only ones coming together to create new defense networks. Before his reelection, Trump made clear what he was going to do: demonize Latinos and all immigrants and use the threats of raids and deportation to destroy families and communities, keeping us all scared, demoralized, and hidden. He and his billionaire friends would continue stripping away our rights, gutting public services, and harming working people. We knew the playbook he'd run since 2016, so we wrote our own. Siembra NC's Defend and Recruit playbook outlines the tools we developed during the first Trump presidency and the ways we defended immigrants in our community and built a powerful movement in North Carolina. Since February, over 6,000 people have downloaded it, and hundreds of people around the country have joined in-person and online trainings. Among them were LUCE Hotline's coordination team, who say they spent hours consulting with our organizing coaches before they set up their systems. 'It was harder than we had expected getting people to set a vision and follow through,' Timpona said. 'Even after being trained, volunteers needed a lot of coaching to do things like go up and ask questions of federal agents making arrests.' ICE says they arrested nearly 400 people in Massachusetts in the two weeks the hotline started receiving calls. 'It has been so helpful to get support from other groups just starting.' The Defend & Recruit Network includes groups along the East Coast all the way to Florida, Texas, across Michigan and Wisconsin, and into Washington and California. We're experimenting with new strategies that engage people to defend those targeted, while also building a practice of recruitment into our organizing. We just published a toolkit for students resisting detentions like Ozturk's. Although there are extreme differences in our approaches and risks depending on local factors and our personal and group identities, there's still so much we can strategize about. Building these connections helps the work feel less isolating, less impossible, as some groups in red states like Ohio and Tennessee have shared on peer learning calls. By sharing these resources, we've received dozens more in return. We're collating these community-provided resources alongside our own tools and training. We've also built customizable resources, logos, toolkits, and produced how-to videos and other materials so you can do this work in your community. It is more important than ever: ICE is escalating its raids and targeting more people — immigration activists, Palestine supporters, parents, workers, and students. Many in our communities are looking for ways to defend our rights, even if it feels like those rights are eroding in real time. Defend & Recruit organizers have talked to people all over the country who are leading this work. Some are brand new, wanting to step up and do something in today's political chaos to support neighbors and families, while others have decades of wisdom to share from their lifetime in the fight. When we asked at a recent online training how many new local groups were forming solely because of immigration defense, dozens of people put their hands up. We've created spaces to troubleshoot common problems and share what we've learned, alongside receiving individual support. Groups in St. Louis; Ulster, New York; and Austin, Texas have met together and with our organizing coaches to build their own hotlines and ICE Watch programs. In North Carolina, we're building new ways for allies to join our fight and defend communities. After hearing from employers who wanted to respond to federal agents' warrantless arrests, we're now inviting them to become Fourth Amendment Workplaces that stand up for the Constitution. We know that the far right thrives when we are scared and alone. And we know that none of us are experts in exactly what will work in today's political landscape as Trump continues to shift his tactics. The administration is employing raids at workplaces, enabling abusive employers to exploit their workers further, and targeting immigrants at schools and places of worship. They're going after green card holders and temporary visa holders, and even using an 18th-century law to deport people to an El Salvadoran prison. Their actions are unprecedented, so the way we defend our people must change, too. We have legal rights in these situations and ways we can respond — if we're ready. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Teen Vogue immigration coverage? The School Shooting That History Forgot I Was Kidnapped After Coming to the U.S. Seeking Asylum Ronald Reagan Sucked, Actually The White Supremacist 'Great Replacement Theory' Has Deep Roots
