America has long styled itself as both the ‘land of the free’ and the ‘home of free speech’. While this was never really true, it’s absolutely farcical in light of what’s happening now in Trump’s America:
The government acknowledged it has no evidence Ozturk engaged in antisemitism or expressed support for Hamas. The files on her cite her student op-ed and a post from Eyal Yakoby about stickers that were allegedly seen around Tufts campus. https://t.co/1s3AMGzejo
— Billy Binion (@billybinion) January 23, 2026
Trump era thought crimes
Rümeysa Öztürk was one of four writers listed on the offending op-ed. This is how said op-ed began:
On March 4, the Tufts Community Union Senate passed 3 out of 4 resolutions demanding that the University acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel. These resolutions were the product of meaningful debate by the Senate and represent a sincere effort to hold Israel accountable for clear violations of international law. Credible accusations against Israel include accounts of deliberate starvation and indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinian civilians and plausible genocide.
You can read the rest of it here, should you wish to do so. If you find the section which justifies her arrest and potential deportation, please let us know, because we’re struggling to find it.
When Ozturk was jailed, many insisted the State Dept must have had some reason beyond her op-ed. But by the government’s own admission, it appears the op-ed really is it. What’s the argument for deporting someone based solely on their published opinions?
— Billy Binion (@billybinion) January 23, 2026
Suppression
The state arrested Öztürk in March 2025, but the suppression of students criticising Israel was already occurring under Joe Biden. Trump has clearly escalated the norm established by the Democrats, so any serious challenger to him must commit to reversing the state of affairs entirely.
If Americans aren’t able to criticise a genocidal foreign state, clearly they aren’t ‘free’ in any meaningful sense of the word.
Featured image via WSJ
By Willem Moore
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