To our readers:

On March 25, 2025, a graduate student at Tufts University was detained by the Department of Homeland Security while leaving her apartment in Somerville, Mass. The student, Rümeysa Öztürk, is a Turkish national whose visa was revoked the same evening. In March 2024, Öztürk had co-authored an editorial for The Tufts Daily student newspaper; it is widely believed that this editorial was used as the basis for her detainment. In response, the Student Press Law Center issued an alert for student media organizations on April 4, warning that “[Immigration and Customs Enforcement] has weaponized lawful speech and digital footprints and has forced us all to reconsider long-standing journalism norms.” In response to these circumstances, Mount Holyoke News would like to reaffirm our commitment to press freedom and emphasize the importance of protecting our student journalists and their right to expression.

Öztürk’s contribution to The Tufts Daily, alongside her co-authors, did not violate any Tufts University policies and was a sound exercise of the students’ First Amendment rights. Mount Holyoke News condemns the use of intimidation and extralegal action to silence constitutionally protected free speech. Student editorials are vital to cultivating an open and productive discourse on campuses, and any disciplinary federal action taken in response to Öztürk and her collaborators’ statements is an infringement on their rights.

Mount Holyoke News remains committed to providing a platform for students and community members to express their beliefs and engage in respectful dialogue. We stand with The Tufts Daily in advocating for the protection of free speech, a fundamental right that forms a core tenet of American democracy. Mount Holyoke News will continue to exercise its right to provide readers with informative journalism and a diverse array of viewpoints, and will advocate for our writers’ ability to contribute to our publication without facing unjust retaliation.

– Mount Holyoke News Executive Board