Tufts Student Describes 'Inhumane' Conditions In ICE Custody As She Suffers Asthma Attacks

Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University pupil who was snatched disconnected the streets by plainclothes migration officers past month, said she has had aggregate asthma attacks, has had her hijab ripped disconnected by a nurse, and has been placed successful an “unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane” installation successful Louisiana.

Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish national, had been studying for a Ph.D. nether an F-1 visa erstwhile agents from the Department of Homeland Security approached her connected March 25 arsenic she went to conscionable with friends successful Somerville, Massachusetts. Surveillance footage shows respective plainclothes officers surrounding the pupil earlier taking her into custody.

“I asked who they were, and they said they were the police,” Öztürk said successful a declaration filed by her lawyers connected Thursday. “I asked them for badges and 1 showed maine a golden badge but it happened truthful rapidly I couldn’t archer what it said. But I didn’t deliberation that they were the constabulary due to the fact that I had ne'er seen constabulary attack and instrumentality idiosyncratic distant similar this. I thought they were radical who had doxxed maine and I was acrophobic for my safety. They besides didn’t respond erstwhile I asked wherefore and if they were arresting me.”

Öztürk had antecedently expressed pro-Palestinian views and was targeted by pro-Israel radical Canary Mission, which publishes accusation online astir students and professors who person criticized Israel’s unrelentingattacksonGaza.

She described being driven to Vermont and staying successful a compartment with nary furniture for a nighttime earlier authorities enactment her connected a formation to Louisiana, wherever she remains successful custody.

Öztürk, who has had terrible asthma for the past fewer years, said she had aggregate asthma attacks portion successful Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. In Louisiana, Öztürk said she wasn’t allowed to spell extracurricular for her archetypal afloat week determination and needed aesculapian attraction aft having a 2nd asthma attack.

“I had trouble breathing and utilized the exigency inhaler but my breathing didn’t improve,” she said. “I asked to spell to the aesculapian halfway and it took them a precise agelong clip to instrumentality maine there. While waiting, I was incredibly distressed arsenic I couldn’t respire well. I asked them to fto maine extracurricular to get immoderate caller air. They said nary but fto maine hold extracurricular of the country successful the hallway.”

While astatine the aesculapian center, a caregiver allegedly told her to instrumentality her hijab off, past ripped it disconnected without Öztürk’s permission.

“After a fewer minutes I enactment my [hijab] backmost on,” she said. “But they did thing to dainty my asthma and gave maine a fewer ibuprofen.”

Öztürk said she had 2 much terrible asthma attacks portion astatine the facility, which she said were triggered by the unsanitary surviving conditions.

“The aerial is afloat of fumes from cleaning supplies and is damp which triggers my asthma,” she said. “We don’t get overmuch caller aerial which besides impacts my quality to respire well. The conditions successful the installation are precise unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane. There is simply a rodent successful our cell. The boxes they supply for our covering are precise soiled and they don’t springiness america capable hygiene supplies.”

Despite inactive having asthma attacks, Öztürk said she didn’t privation to instrumentality to the aesculapian center.

“I was successful symptom and precise frightened but I didn’t inquire to spell to the aesculapian halfway due to the fact that I don’t consciousness that they code my aesculapian needs,” she said. “I don’t consciousness harmless astatine the aesculapian halfway due to the fact that of my anterior experiences there. They kick erstwhile I spell determination and talk to maine successful an insulting and condescending manner. They besides constitute accusation successful my aesculapian records that is not accurate. The doc and nurses determination are rude and uncaring.”

Öztürk’s ineligible counsel has asked the United States District Court for the District of Vermont to merchandise her immediately, oregon astatine slightest instrumentality her to Vermont.

In her declaration, Öztürk said she has little than a twelvemonth to implicit her Ph.D., which she has been moving connected for the past 5 years.

“I commune mundane for my merchandise truthful I tin spell backmost to my location and assemblage successful Somerville,” she said. “I program to enactment with a beloved person for a abbreviated portion aft the ordeal I person been through.”