In Minnesota, officials are looking for answers about a University of Minnesota graduate student who was taken by U.S. immigration officials, known as ICE, for reasons that are still unclear. The student was detained last Thursday at a place away from campus, and the university did not know this was going to happen.
The university has not revealed the student’s name or where they are from. Leaders in Minnesota are urging the federal government to explain why this happened. “We are doing everything we can to gather information about this troubling situation,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar on social media. “International students are an important part of our university and community.”
The student is studying business at the university. University officials are helping the student with legal support and other resources while they figure out what happened. Why ICE detained the student is still a mystery, and ICE has not answered any questions from reporters.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz mentioned he is in contact with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to seek answers. He pointed out that the University of Minnesota is an important place for international learning and that many students are studying there under student visas.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the situation concerning, saying that schools should be safe places for all students to learn without fear. Local leaders promise to share more information as they receive updates.
Recently, immigration authorities have been focusing on people with ties to colleges. Many of the students taken into custody have supported issues related to Palestine. During the Trump administration, a specific law was used to allow visa revocation if a student is believed to be a threat to U.S. foreign policy. Over the past few weeks, more than seven people have been detained or deported.
On Saturday, the university’s graduate labor union held a protest outside the immigration office, with many people showing up to support international students facing uncertain futures. Senator Tina Smith expressed her concern on social media, saying, “International students are valuable to the University of Minnesota. They come from far away to learn here, and it must be frightening for them to hear that one of their classmates has been detained by ICE.”
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