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ICE detains University of Minnesota international student, leaving campus peers in fear. All we know
The student was detained at an off-campus residence, according to a letter sent by the university to its students, staff, and faculty.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reportedly detained a University of Minnesota-Twin Cities international graduate student as President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are being questioned by many. The student was detained at an off-campus residence, according to a letter sent by the university to its students, staff, and faculty. The university reportedly said it is trying to gather more information about the incident.
The school claimed it was unaware of the student being detained beforehand and did not share any information with federal authorities before the detainment. It said officers are not permitted to inquire about a person's immigration status, according to its federal immigration policies.
"As has been the University's pledge over the years, we are fully committed to keeping all members of our community who are affected by immigration policies safe and well-informed so they can best navigate their responsibilities in compliance with law and policy," the school said, according to CBS News.
Why was the student detained?
As the university stated, the details of the detainment remains unclear. However, it comes amid reports of detainment of various international students in the United States, including Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and doctoral student at Tufts University, and Mahmoud Khalil, a legal US resident and Palestinian activist who was a prominent face in the protests at Columbia last year.
As many questions remain unanswered, international students on the Minnesota campus have been left anxious. Sima Shakahari, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, said she was concerned about the university's response to the incident. "I think the university has really fallen short in responding to all of Trump's executive orders," said Shakahari. "Many of the students who are here to study are worried that the executive orders will affect them merely because of their national origin or, in some cases, for exercising their freedom of speech."
Local leaders have called for more information on the detainment. DFL Senator Doron Clark, who represents part of the university, said he was frustrated about the lack of communication from federal authorities. "I want to hear from the federal government, why, when, where and how. It's just we haven't heard anything from them, and the silence is intentional and it's disarming and unsettling," he said.
This detainment also comes days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked at least 300 student visas, targeting students who were linked to Palestinian protests. "I think it's crazy to invite students into your country that are coming onto your campus and destabilizing it. We're just not going to have it. So we'll revoke your visa and once we've revoked your visa, you're in this country illegally and have to leave," Rubio said last week.
