A University of Minnesota graduate student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was taken into custody due to a drunken driving infraction, not for involvement in protests, according to federal officials ยน. The Department of Homeland Security stated that the student’s visa was revoked by the State Department due to a prior criminal history for a DUI.
The detention sparked student protests and concerns from university and political leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz, who spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the issue. Meanwhile, Minnesota State University Mankato reported that one of their students was also detained by ICE, with no reason given and no information requested from the university.
Critics, including U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, are pressing for answers, questioning ICE’s rationale and adherence to due process. This incident is part of a concerning pattern of ICE detaining students with little explanation and ignoring their rights to due process.
The University of Minnesota is providing the detained student with legal aid and other supports, while respecting their request for privacy. Gov. Walz emphasized the importance of upholding due process rights, stating that everyone in the country has these rights, regardless of the situation.
That student, who was detained at an off-campus residence Thursday, was enrolled in the business school on the Minneapolis campus. University spokesperson Andria Waclawski said the school had no further updates Monday. She said earlier that they were following the lead of the student and respecting their request for privacy, while providing the student with legal aid and other supports.