Massachusetts lawmakers Ed Markey, Ayanna Pressley, and Jim McGovern visited Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk and Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, both detained by ICE in Louisiana following actions linked to pro-Palestinian advocacy. Markey highlighted the lack of criminal charges against them and emphasized their status as political prisoners, asserting that the Trump administration's policies unjustly targeted individuals expressing dissent. Öztürk's detention in particular raised concerns about human rights violations, as she was reportedly mistreated by ICE agents and denied basic rights. The lawmakers condemned these actions as violations of the First Amendment and due process.
"Both of them are right now being imprisoned here in Louisiana. They are not being charged with a crime. There is no evidence that could convict them of a crime. ICE just feels through the Trump administration that they have a right to take people."
"Both of these individuals are political prisoners. They don't belong here."
"She was hungry and denied food. She was thirsty and denied water. She was manhandled. She was shackled... Disappeared, abducted from her life and her family and the community that she's known."
#ice-detention #political-prisoners #pro-palestinian-advocacy #massachusetts-lawmakers #first-amendment-rights
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