ICE official testifies that he was told to prioritize Rmeysa ztrks arrest

Patrick Cunningham, a top official from the Boston HSI office, testified that he was ordered to prioritize the arrest of Tufts Ph. D. student Rümeysa Öztürk due to her pro-Palestine op-ed. Öztürk was detained by ICE agents earlier this year and held in Louisiana for more than six weeks before a judge mandated her release. Cunningham, who noted his background in drug law enforcement, expressed concern over the unusual nature of the directive he received regarding Öztürk.

He found no evidence of criminal behavior and sought legal confirmation about the legality of her arrest. This case is central to a lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors, which argues that the Trump administration is unconstitutionally targeting noncitizens based on their political views. Officials stated that the decision to revoke Öztürk's visa was made without informing her, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio's claims about her being a threat to U. S. foreign policy.

Cunningham and other officials testified they were not explicitly told Öztürk was targeted for her political stance. Öztürk continues her academic work at Tufts while contesting her deportation proceedings.