As student visas were being cancelled, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised on Friday that international students must follow the conditions of their visas. He stated, “If we’ve given you a visa and then you decide to do that, we’re going to take it away.” This statement was made in response to the US government's decision to revoke the visa of Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk, citing her involvement in activities outside the permitted scope of her student visa.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision during a joint press conference with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali. He stated, “We revoked her visa...We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campuses.”

Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was taken into custody by federal agents on Tuesday night near her off-campus residence in Somerville, Massachusetts. She is now among rising international students, including those from India, facing scrutiny from federal immigration authorities.

The 27-year-old was reportedly detained while on her way to break her Ramadan fast. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, voiced concern about her location, stating that they could not reach her and that no FIR or charges had been filed against her. A Homeland Security spokesperson accused Rumeysa Ozturk of supporting Hamas, which led to her visa being revoked. However, Ozturk is fighting back and filing a court petition to contest the legality of her detention.

On Tuesday night, Judge Indira Talwani of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts ruled that Rumeysa Ozturk could not be taken out of the state without first informing the court. However, it is unclear if the authorities followed this directive. The incident has caused concern within the Tufts University community. President Sunil Kumar stated that the university was unaware of the detention beforehand and had not collaborated with federal officials.

Rumeysa Ozturk, an active voice on campus, had recently co-authored an opinion piece in March, where she expressed criticism towards Tufts University's response to student demands regarding Palestinian issues.