A University of Minnesota graduate student was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers Thursday night, according to a statement from University leadership.
The international graduate student, who is enrolled in the Carlson School, was detained at an off-campus residence. The University is not sharing the student’s name or where they are being held due to student privacy laws, but it is providing support to the student, University spokesperson Andria Waclawski said.
There are more than 5,200 international students at the University, roughly 11% of the total student body.
ICE has arrested more than 32,000 people since Donald Trump took office in January, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Last year, ICE made just over 33,000 arrests.
Other international students across the country have been arrested ICE in recent weeks, including Columbia University, Tufts University, and the University of Alabama.
A spokesperson said in January the University will comply with federal court orders related to deportations, but it does not track students’ immigration status.
The University did not have prior knowledge of the student being detained and was not in contact with federal authorities, the email said.
The University provides some general information about immigration policy and student rights on its website.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Larry Parker
Mar 30, 2025 at 1:43 pm
I think ice needs to go to honda manufacturing in Marysville ohio and go around there they have plenty of immigrants even people that has a contract through them there.
Jorge A Cruz
Mar 30, 2025 at 10:02 am
How is it that these jack booted thugs enter a college campus without explanation
Matt
Mar 30, 2025 at 9:17 am
No Deborah, everyone on American soil has the right to publicly disagree with the government. It’s called freedom of expression. It’s part of the constitution? It applies to everyone who is in the United States. It even applies to the president!
KG
Mar 30, 2025 at 8:54 am
The root cause of the U’s current mess lies with radical Faculty/Educators for Justice in Palestine (F/EJP). We all know the names: Shakhsari, Mills, Gallope, and their cohorts. Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, these extremist pro-Palestinian terror apologists created a toxic, hostile environment for Jewish students. Instead of holding Hamas accountable for its genocidal attacks on Israel, they perversely blamed the victim—Israel. Who can forget the inflammatory statements issued by CSCL, GWSS, and AIS in 2023, or the sanctimonious additions from RIDGS and AAS in 2024?
It is outrageous that academic departments, which touts diversity, equity, and inclusion, have singled out the eight million Jews of Israel as global pariahs. Their fixation on demonizing the one small Jewish state reeks of bigotry masquerading as social justice. These extremist academics’ baseless accusations of genocide against Israel mobilized radical student groups and off-campus agitators, which devolved into outright Jew-hatred: Jewish students were harassed and threatened, forced to shelter in place, subjected to death threats, and saw their places of worship targeted. Our campus was roiled by protests, disturbances, encampments, a spoiled commencement ceremony, seized buildings.
The U has substantial work to do to rectify this disgrace. U academic departments have been indoctrinating generations of students with the debunked settler-colonialist narrative regarding Israel-Palestine while silencing credible alternative perspectives. This intellectual monopoly fosters antisemitism and Jew-hatred, perpetuated further by ideological litmus tests in faculty hiring processes that prioritize conformity over scholarship.
Significant reforms are urgently required. Protesters who break university rules must face strict consequences. Academic departments spreading one-sided propaganda must undergo rigorous review. Faculty undermining the university’s mission and ethical standards must be disciplined. Anything less would fail the Jewish students and broader community who expect integrity and fairness from their institution.
Let’s be clear: this doesn’t end with the Jews. At these protests, we’ve also seen the United States vilified—the very country that provides unparalleled freedom and opportunity. The attacks on Israel and the USA are part of the same dangerous ideology that undermines the principles of democracy and coexistence. It’s time for the U to stand up against extremism and restore an academic and ethical balance. It’s the right thing to do.
Rob
Mar 29, 2025 at 9:47 am
Keep them safe by telling them to shut up about the wars
Tomclay
Mar 29, 2025 at 9:25 am
gabe: When a person gets arrested for commiting a crime and that said person is not a US citizen then ICE must be contacted to find out if this person is even legally allowed to be in this country!
Or do you feel because they are not a US citizen they should just be allowed to commit crimes and have no repercussions for there actions?
If law enforcement shows up and people are being arrested they are no longer students they are now CRIMINALS!
Don’t do the crime if you can do the time!
Steve Hauser
Mar 29, 2025 at 8:21 am
I have a very fundamental question: Did the student have or not have legal status to be in the United States?
Sam
Mar 29, 2025 at 8:18 am
Horrible situation, ever more horrible comments.
As a Venezuelan who lived during Chavez reign I can tell you this is exactly the same. Left, Right, up, down, it does not matter. Absolute power absolutely corrupts.
Once Chavez silenced those who opposed him, the radio, tv station and of course, the students, there was nothing to stop him.
Those supporting this actions, do you really believe the color of your skin it’s going to save you? Naive, welcome to life under and authoritarian regime.
proudpirate
Mar 29, 2025 at 8:00 am
@Angry Prof – let’s be fair, this place was founded on and is steeped in fascism, Richard Painter and Michael Hsu just jump the highest to serve their masters. Their families and associates must be so ashamed.
Cunningham and her admin sure do a lot of CYA-ing, saying they didn’t know and don’t know anything, not even the student’s name, but this same newspaper made a huge show of how Cunningham will comply with ICE orders. Between this and soon to be ex Provost Cronson’s curriculum revisions one gets the sense we don’t need MAGAts to sink us, we’re doing it to ourselves.
Mary
Mar 29, 2025 at 6:56 am
I agree, students or any individual who comes into the US legally, with good motive ,wants to learn, assimilate into our society. It is disrespectful to protest against the government that is allowing a better life…if I were to enter in this manner to almost any country I am expected to be respectful to their government, people & expect to be asked or escorted to leave if I protest, or hurt any of their citizens. US citizens… be proud, patriotic, don’t allow this anywhere in the US.
Alum
Mar 29, 2025 at 2:16 am
It starts with deporting students for daring to write an op-ed or attend a protest — something that would have been unthinkable even for Republicans just a few years ago — but how far will some of my fellow commenters let it go? Unfortunately history is not a very optimistic guide.
Edward Greaves
Mar 28, 2025 at 10:00 pm
International students will stop coming to fascist America. Students can go to universities in Canada, Europe, and Australia. This will hurt American universities. Students have a right to peacefully express themselves, like everyone else. Last I checked, writing an editorial in a newspaper is not terrorism (except in fascist regimes—like Trump). When Americans start getting detained in other countries…don’t complain…it’s called reciprocity.
Sick of this
Mar 28, 2025 at 9:51 pm
I’m sure writing an op-ed piece in support of Palestine is worthy of deportation in the eyes of some of you, but the rest of us aren’t too fond of the weaponization of state force against simple demonstrations of political discourse.
I would love to see how the people cheering in support of this would’ve reacted during the Civil Rights movement, because I have an inkling you would’ve been among the people decrying student movements to end segregation and discrimination because you perceived them as “getting violent”, and “disruptive”, and would’ve called for international students taking place in such movements to be deported. I know you would because that’s the arguments that were used against such movements during the Civil Rights Movement, and it’s been the same arguments that’s being used now.
Tina M. Wade
Mar 28, 2025 at 9:40 pm
All of our community colleges and many of our state colleges would be shuttered if it were not for the foreign nationals. They have just as much right to protest when thousands of people in their country are killed. These students may just decide to go to Europe. Then we would really be screwed.
Owl
Mar 28, 2025 at 9:25 pm
Why aren’t they deporting the Israeli students who launched explosives (fireworks) into a group of demonstrators . Still haven’t heard if they even went to court. Do they think this is Gaza , East Jerusalem, or the West bank. Why
weren’t they all arrested as terrorist????
NOBODY gets away with that here. NOBODY !!!!
NOT HERE !! N-O-B-O-D-Y!! NOBODY!!!
They get arrested, brought to court, serve their sentence and get DEPORTED ! If they ever get out of jail. THIS Is NOT Israel !!!
Deborah
Mar 28, 2025 at 9:18 pm
Any immigrant that doesn’t love America and uses campus to disrupt class for students trying to learn should be deported . Thanks ice .
Just behave
Mar 28, 2025 at 9:14 pm
International students here on student visas are guests of the United States and can lose their visa for campus vandalism, occupying buildings, illegally protesting, or harassing other students, among other violations. No visa means they are here illegally and subject to deportation.
Michael
Mar 28, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Thank you . 45 & 47
Angry Prof
Mar 28, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Thanks, Richard Painter. Thanks for welcoming fascism to our campus.
gabe
Mar 28, 2025 at 6:12 pm
This is horrifying. The police here do not work with ICE. How can we keep our students safe?