2 days Ago By Kirsten Mitchell
Three days after the University of Minnesota confirmed that a graduate student was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), questions remain unanswered leaving many international students on campus anxious and concerned.
The incident, which took place off-campus, has raised fears among the more than 5,000 international students at the university. As the university works to understand the details of the detainment, members of the campus community are grappling with the uncertainty and lack of communication from federal authorities. In a letter sent to the campus, the University of Minnesota stated that it had no prior knowledge of the incident and had not shared any information with federal officials before the detainment occurred.
Sima Shakahari, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, expressed concern over the university's response to the incident, especially in light of past executive orders from the Trump administration. "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.
" The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) stepped in, hosting a "Know Your Rights" workshop to educate students about their rights in light of the increasing uncertainty. More than 60 people attended one of these workshops on Sunday night. The detainment follows the revocation of at least 300 student visas by Secretary of State Marco Rubio , targeting students linked to pro-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.
The details surrounding the University of Minnesota graduate student's detainment remain unclear, and local leaders are calling for more information. DFL Senator Doron Clark, who represents part of the university, expressed frustration with 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. According to the University of Minnesota's federal immigration policies , its public safety departments do not enforce federal immigration laws. Kirsten Mitchell joined the WCCO team as a reporter in November of 2021.
A Saint Paul native, Kirsten is proud to tell stories in her home state. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Go Gophs!) and interned at WCCO during her time there..
