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The Tufts University graduate student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Somerville, Massachusetts, this week is now being held in Louisiana, according to a statement from university President Sunil Kumar.
ICE confirmed Rumeysa Ozturk’s detention to Fox News on Wednesday. She is originally from Turkey.
“We have recently learned and verified that Rumeysa Öztürk, the student who was detained by federal immigration authorities yesterday, is currently being held in Louisiana,” Kumar said in a Thursday morning statement. “We recognize how frightening and distressing this situation is for her, her loved ones, and the larger community here at Tufts, especially our international students, staff, and faculty who may be feeling vulnerable or unsettled by these events.”
He added that the “footage of Rumeysa’s arrest” released Wednesday “is disturbing.”
“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” the president said in a Jan. 30 fact sheet on the executive order. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

Hamas terrorists take up positions ahead of a hostage release in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (AP)
Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that the Department of National Intelligence describes as “the largest and most capable militant group in the Palestinian territories and one of the territories’ two major political parties.”
The Trump administration has also rescinded federal grants from Columbia University over its alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus.
“We realize that tonight’s news will be distressing to some members of our community, particularly the members of our international community,” Kumar said in his statement. “We will continue to provide information, support, and resources in the days ahead as more details become available to us.”
The cost of attendance at Tufts, before financial aid, is listed as between $80,000 and $90,000 on the university’s website.
Tufts is receiving $115.2 million in funds from the National Institutes of Health as of fiscal year 2025, the university’s website says, including $88.3 million in direct costs and $26.9 million in facilities and administrative costs.
Fox News’ Andrew Fone contributed to this report.