Speaking out is not a crime! Stop the deportation of Rumeysa Ozturk

A Tufts University student was arrested and forced into a van to be deported for having written an op-ed criticizing the university's policies toward Gaza. This threatens all of our rights.

Harris, On March 25, federal agents abducted 30-year-old Tufts University Ph.D. student Rumeysa Ozturk in broad daylight. After a 13-hour Ramadan fast, she was on her way to meet friends when masked, plain-clothed federal officers surrounded her, handcuffed her without explanation, and forced her into an unmarked SUV. There was no warrant, no due process, and no chance for her to contact a lawyer. She was taken to an undisclosed location. She was not allowed a phone call, and it took her lawyers over 24 hours to find out where she was, after checking local hospitals. If security cameras hadn't captured the arrest, the world might never have known it happened. Her crime? Co-authoring an opinion piece in a student newspaper a year ago, urging Tufts to divest from companies linked to Israel due to the ongoing war in Gaza. This is no advocacy of violence; it's support for nonviolent protest that the Trump administration finds politically useful to oppose. Now, Trump has revoked her visa, and she remains in federal custody, facing imminent deportation. Watch the chilling footage and see the arrest for yourself, then sign on: Free Rumeysa Ozturk now. No one should be arrested, detained, or deported for exercising their freedom of speech writing an op-ed article. Watch and Sign We never thought we would see the U.S. government kidnap and disappear political dissidents without any legal protections in this country, as we have seen in other totalitarian countries. But Trump has already begun to apply the strong-arm methods of dictatorship here in the United States, on the suburban streets of Somerville Massachusetts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended this blatant attack on free speech, as well as the despotic tactics of the arrest, calling for hundreds more student visas to be revoked. He signaled open support for silencing dissent, bragging to a reporter "It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa." This is authoritarianism in action -- an American university student being detained and expelled from the country simply for expressing an opinion. The First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech and a free press. If we don't stand up now, this won't be the last time the government kidnaps a student, journalist, or activist for daring to speak out. Watch the shocking CCTV footage of Ozturk's arrest and sign your name to demand her release now. Thank you for standing up for free speech, and due process of law. -Rick Rick Weiland, Founder TakeItBack.Org Fund the Fight Paid for in part by TakeItBack.Org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions to TakeItBack.Org are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to TakeItBack.Org support its many efforts nationwide and any focus is at TakeItBack.Org's sole discretion. Contributions will not necessarily be used to support activity in any one state or specific campaign. All content © 2023 TakeItBack.Org, All Rights Reserved P.O. Box 2017, Sioux Falls, SD 57101 (605) 274 8706 Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from TakeItBack.Org, please click here.