Türkiye’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Öncü Keçeli, confirmed ongoing efforts to secure the release of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student detained in the U.S.
In an update posted on X, Keçeli reassured the public, stating, "Our efforts to release Rümeysa Öztürk, who was detained in the U.S., are ongoing. Our embassy in Washington and relevant consulates are providing full consular and legal assistance."
Keçeli highlighted that Türkiye's Consul General in Houston visited Öztürk at the detention center in Louisiana, where she is being held.
During the visit, Öztürk’s requests were communicated to local authorities and her lawyer.
Öztürk, who is pursuing a PhD at Tufts University in Massachusetts, was detained by six masked officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 25, while heading to an iftar gathering with friends.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio later revealed that Öztürk’s student visa had been revoked and that she faced deportation.
He also disclosed that more than 300 foreign students’ visas had been canceled for alleged ties to Hamas and anti-Israel views.
In a positive turn, a U.S. federal judge issued an injunction, halting Öztürk's deportation.
