U.S. immigration officials have arrested and revoked the visa of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, after she expressed support for Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza.

Ozturk, a 30-year-old Fulbright Scholar studying Child Development, was taken into custody late Tuesday by masked and plainclothes agents near her Massachusetts home while heading to a Ramadan iftar gathering. Supporters claim her detention marks the first known case of a Boston-area student activist being targeted under Trump’s crackdown on foreign nationals involved in pro-Palestinian protests.

The Department of Homeland Security accused Ozturk of supporting Hamas—a designated terrorist group—though no specific evidence was provided. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, argues the arrest stems from her free speech activism, citing her past criticism of Tufts’ ties to Israel in a student op-ed.

A federal judge temporarily blocked ICE from transferring Ozturk out of Massachusetts without notice after her legal team filed a wrongful detention lawsuit. The arrest follows a pattern under the Trump administration, which has pledged to deport foreign protesters accused of backing Hamas, sparking backlash over free speech concerns.

Tufts University and the Turkish Embassy are seeking clarity on the case, while advocates warn the administration is conflating Palestinian rights advocacy with antisemitism. The move comes weeks after similar detentions of Columbia University affiliates, heightening fears of escalating suppression on campuses.