A graduate student at Tufts University was detained by federal agents this week, the school confirmed, marking the latest escalation in a wave of actions targeting international students in the U.S.
The student, whose identity has not been disclosed, was reportedly taken from an off-campus apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts. Tufts released a statement Tuesday evening acknowledging the detention and visa revocation but said it had no further information regarding the circumstances.
Federal agencies, including Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have not provided any public explanation. Efforts to reach a legal representative for the student were unsuccessful.
The incident adds to a pattern of intensified immigration enforcement, particularly targeting students and academics with perceived links to pro-Palestinian activism. Former President Donald Trump and his close political allies have increasingly focused on foreign students, accusing some of supporting militant organizations and undermining U.S. interests abroad.
Recent high-profile cases include the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and protester at Columbia University, who is now fighting his detention in court. Trump has publicly accused him of ties to Hamas without offering evidence—allegations Khalil flatly denies.
Similarly, immigration officials are attempting to detain another student at Columbia, a Korean American legal resident, over their participation in protests. Courts have temporarily halted that move.
Earlier this month, Brown University faculty member Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese national, was denied re-entry into the U.S. after border agents cited photos on her phone they claimed showed sympathy for Hezbollah. Alawieh maintains she does not support the group but expressed religious respect for its deceased leader.
International students at institutions including Cornell and Georgetown have also found themselves under scrutiny as the crackdown widens.
While the government has remained silent on the Tufts student’s detention, the message is loud and clear to many watching: immigration policy in the U.S. is increasingly being shaped by ideology—and dissent may come at a high cost.
