America is now a fascist police state. People are being pulled off the streets and illegally targeted and detained all over the country. I am so utterly and completely horrified. I also made my phone calls to Tufts University and my Washington State Representative and Senators. Please join me in taking every action possible and in an ongoing way to stop this brutal madness. — Molly
URGENT CALL TO ACTION
This is deeply alarming and a serious violation of constitutional rights and human dignity. The arrest and detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish PHD student underscore the increasingly dangerous targeting of students and activists who speak out against the genocide in Gaza. Her kidnapping and apprehension by ICE masked agents while heading to an iftar dinner — a sacred moment of religious observance — is not only a breach of her First Amendment rights but also a chilling reminder of the growing repression faced by foreign students and Muslim communities in the United States.
Call to Action
1. Contact Tufts University: Demand that the university publicly condemn the arrest, stand by its students, and ensure the protection of academic freedom and free speech.
• Tufts University Office of the President: (617) 627-3300
• Email: president@tufts.edu
2. Pressure Lawmakers and Senators: Call and write to your representatives, urging them to investigate this unlawful detention and protect the rights of foreign students and activists.
• U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 – Ask to be connected to your senators and representatives.
3. Support Legal Defense and Advocacy Groups: Organizations like the ACLU, CAIR, and Palestine Legal are working to protect students and activists from state repression. Consider donating or volunteering.
4. Share and Amplify: Spread the word on social media using hashtags like #FreeRumeysa #JusticeForRumeysa #ProtectFreeSpeech to bring attention to this injustice.
The United States’ treatment of immigrants and foreign students is a disgraceful departure from its professed values of freedom and justice. Rumeysa’s case reveals how dissent and religious identity are being criminalized. It is understandable why students and scholars would reconsider studying in or moving to a country where they are treated as threats rather than human beings.
Remaining silent in the face of this attack on civil liberties and human rights enables further injustice. We must collectively demand accountability and protect the rights of those most vulnerable to state repression.
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