In a message to students and staff on Monday, Minnesota State University Mankato leaders said one of their students had been detained by ICE at an off-campus residence on Friday. Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL - Minneapolis) is chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee and was briefed this morning.
“Right now there’s not much information on this student, whether it’s age, gender, major or the reason for the detainment. The family has not been able to connect with the student and as of this morning, I was told, the student still doesn’t have legal representation. Nobody knows their whereabouts.”
Sen. Fateh has asked the Government Relations department at the university to make sure their student is connected with legal support services.
One day prior to the unknown Mankato student’s disappearance, an unnamed University of Minnesota student was also detained by ICE, also at an off-campus residence. This detained person was an international graduate student at the Carlson School of Management.
University of Minnesota president Rebecca Cunningham issued a statement saying school leadership had "no prior knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities before it occurred."
Minneapolis Council Member Robin Wonsley represents Ward 2 which includes part of the U of M campus. She said she feared something like this would happen.
This frightening reality underscores the need for the City of Minneapolis, University of Minnesota, and all local governments to clearly and unambiguously condemn the Trump administration's cruel and racist attacks, and invest resources into protecting vulnerable resident.
I led Council to allocate additional funds in the 2025 Budget for free immigration legal services for residents, out of recognition that many in our communities were likely to be facing increased attacks. I have asked MPD leadership to establish clear disciplinary criteria for any officer who violates the City's separation ordinance and uses their position to enforce immigration laws. - Robin Wonsley
In February, the Trump administration announced it would investigate the U of M’s Twin Cities campus and several other colleges nationally, alleging the schools allowed antisemitic harassment and acts of intolerance against Jewish students.
Delayed responses from ICE, like we're seeing with these first two known cases in Minnesota, have happened in other cases involving students.
Mahmoud Khalil was detained on Columbia’s campus in New York, taken to New Jersey and then transported to Louisiana. Rumeysa Ozturk was taken near her home in Massachusetts but also ultimately ended up in Louisiana.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he has signed over 300 letters revoking visas for students, visitors, and others, citing their foreign policy views or criminal activities as grounds for expulsion.
This is a developing story. BLCK Press will update this article as more information becomes available.