1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the recent detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, by federal agents. The Department of Homeland Security claims she "engaged in activities in support of Hamas," yet no specific evidence has been provided. As far as the public knows, her only "activity" was co-authoring an editorial. This raises alarming questions about the state of free speech in our country. University campuses should be spaces for the free and open exchange of ideas, not places where individuals fear being targeted for their beliefs. The fact that someone can be detained without clear justification is deeply troubling and sets a dangerous precedent. I urge you to take immediate action to ensure Ms. Ozturk's release and to address these assaults on civil liberties. What steps are you taking to protect free speech and prevent such incidents from happening again? Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.