Concerns Over Doxxing and Visa Revocation
On March 9, Rumeysa Ozturk, a graduate student from Turkey studying at Tufts University, found herself in a state of distress. She reached out to Najiba Akbar, the university’s former Muslim chaplain, with whom she had developed a close relationship over time. In her anxious text message, Ms. Ozturk expressed her worries, stating, “I recently learned that someone added all my information to a doxxing website called Canary Mission because of the op-ed published last March.” She was seeking guidance on how to navigate this troubling situation.
The Canary Mission website had published her résumé alongside a photograph of her wearing a red headscarf, claiming that she had “engaged in anti-Israel activism.” It also linked to an opinion piece she co-wrote with three other students for the Tufts student newspaper, where they criticized the university for its lack of action against Israel concerning the ongoing war in Gaza. This characterization left Ms. Ozturk feeling unfairly targeted, as she had never been perceived by Ms. Akbar as an activist or a prominent figure in any movement. In fact, she was known more as an introverted individual who preferred to contribute quietly, often staying late at the university’s Interfaith Center to assist with cleanup after events.
To Ms. Akbar’s shock, she learned this week that the U.S. government had revoked Ms. Ozturk’s visa. According to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, investigations had determined that Ms. Ozturk had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.” This decision not only affected Ms. Ozturk’s academic journey but also raised significant concerns about the implications of doxxing and the scrutiny of student activism in the current political climate.
