Leading Democrats are urging the release of Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk. They have penned a letter to officials in the Trump administration, seeking explanations for what they describe as a “deeply troubling” situation. 

The lawmakers addressed their concerns to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and ICE Director Todd Lyons, highlighting that Ozturk’s recent arrest in Massachusetts “seems to be part of a troubling pattern of ICE detaining university students with valid green cards and visas due to their political beliefs.” 

“These are very concerning events. The Administration should not arbitrarily detain and deport lawful residents of this country solely for voicing their political opinions,” wrote the Democrats, which include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and members of The Squad. 

“Absent compelling evidence justifying her detention and the revocation of her status, we call for Ozturk’s release and the restoration of her visa,” they added. 

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News on Wednesday that Ozturk was “granted the privilege to be in this country on a visa” and that “DHS and ICE investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.”  (AP)

The legal team representing Ozturk told Fox News she had a valid F-1 visa status prior to her arrest Tuesday in Somerville, a city just north of Boston. 

The Democrats in their letter called Ozturk’s arrest and detention “disturbing.” 

“The rationale for this arrest appears to be this student’s expression of her political views. We are calling for full due process in this case and are seeking answers about this case and about ICE’s policy that has led to the identification and arrest of university students with valid legal status,” they said. 

Protesters gather during a demonstration opposing the detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and Tufts University graduate student.  (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“Ozturk was one of four authors of an op-ed in the Tufts student paper, endorsed by 32 other Tufts graduate students, which called for ‘the Tufts administration to meaningfully engage with and actualize’ Israel- and Palestine-related resolutions passed by the university’s Student Senate in 2024,” the lawmakers also said. 

Fox News’ Audrey Conklin, Alexis McAdams and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.