March 26, 2025
Dear members of the Tufts community,
We are writing to provide an update following President Kumar’s message yesterday evening. 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.
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. As noted by the Massachusetts Attorney General in her statement today, the footage of Rumeysa’s arrest is disturbing. We stand with our Muslim students, especially during their observance of Ramadan, as we recognize that Rumeysa was on her way to an Iftar gathering with friends at the Interfaith Center when she was detained.
We are in touch with local, state, and federal elected officials and hope that Rumeysa is provided the opportunity to avail herself of her due process rights. The university is actively working to support the Tufts community as it mobilizes its collective resources and contacts to ensure our students’ safety and wellbeing.
We want you to know, we are also here to support you—whether you are a student, or a staff or faculty member. Below, we are sharing the resources that the university is making available to all those who may be affected within our community.
Protocol for engaging with government officials
We want to remind you that the university has an established protocol for responding to government officials who arrive on campus for an unannounced site visit; this protocol also applies to members of our community who encounter officials off campus. To activate that protocol, it is best to call the Tufts University Police Department at 617-627-3030 and inform the dispatcher, who will notify the appropriate university officials, including the Office of University Counsel, the International Center, and other relevant offices at the university. This line is staffed 24/7 and you will get an immediate response from a trained member of the Public Safety team. To the extent possible, and depending on the specifics of each situation, the university will provide relevant guidance, including possibly connecting individuals to external legal and immigration expertise and resources as needed.
Recommended documentation to prove immigration status
