SOMERVILLE — On Friday, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne issued a statement following the detainment of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student and Somerville resident with a valid student visa, by federal agents earlier in the week.
“We should all be deeply concerned that on Tuesday a Somerville resident and Tufts student with a valid student visa was taken away by federal agents for what appears to be the exercise of free speech rights,” Ballantyne said.
Ozturk was detained by masked, plainclothes ICE agents in Somerville on March 25. Her student visa was revoked after the Department of Homeland Security accused her of engaging in activities supporting Hamas, which is designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. However, DHS has not made public any specific evidence to support this claim.
Her detainment came shortly after she co-authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily in March 2024, which called on the university to divest from companies operating in Israel and described Israeli military actions in Gaza as genocide.
Nevertheless, in her statement, Ballantyne emphasized the importance of protecting constitutional rights regardless of political views. “Whether you agree with anyone else’s opinion or not, all Americans should be standing up for the right of each of us to share our views without the risk of being whisked away in an unmarked car by our national government,” she said.
Ballantyne called for Ozturk’s immediate release and the restoration of her visa, stating, “Rumeysa Ozturk must be immediately released and her visa restored, not just so that she can continue her studies but so that we can uphold the Constitutional rights of all.”
The mayor’s statement also addressed broader concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement practices. “We are living in a bait-and-switch moment where a focus on crime was promised,” she said. “But instead visas for workers and students are being revoked, green card holders who’ve built their lives here are being detained, and people the government welcomed yesterday on all matter of visas and approvals, they now want to deport today.”
She described the impact of these actions on families in Somerville: “Recently an individual was taken from his Somerville home. He has no criminal record but is now in detention. His family is worried for him, and worried for themselves as they’ve been left without their loved one and the vital income he earned. But his partner was reduced to tears with worry on top of all that because now her neighbors think he was a criminal when he was not.”
Ballantyne also detailed her administration’s actions in response, including joining the City of Chelsea in a lawsuit against federal officials to protect local control over police resources and ensure the city’s police are focused on local public safety and not federal immigration actions, as well as the filing of a formal brief in support of a separate lawsuit to protect birthright citizenship. “We will not sit by idly,” she said. “We are actively working to ensure our residents are aware of their rights and the threats to their liberty.”
Mayor Ballantyne said that since the beginning of the year, Somerville’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, in coordination with area nonprofits, including Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Massachusetts, has conducted more than 60 Know Your Rights trainings and provides ongoing support to immigrant residents.
“My administration remains committed to public safety and the rule of law,” Mayor Ballantyne said. “My office is in regular contact with our federal delegation and state officials on this case and others to be sure we take any lawful action we can to support our residents. We will continue ensuring our constituents have access to information about their rights, the resources offered by the city and local non-governmental organizations, and the space to civically engage and build Somerville’s future together.”
Community members seeking support can access various resources through the City of Somerville and its partner organizations:
- Immigrants and Students: The Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA) offers referrals to services, legal assistance, and provides information, including Know Your Rights materials. For assistance, email SOIA at SOIA@somervillema.gov or visit somervillema.gov/SOIA.
- Business Owners: The Economic Development division provides information and resources regarding business rights and responsibilities. Contact them via email at economicdevelopment@somervillema.gov.
For additional information and resources, visit somervillema.gov/onesomerville.
