On Monday, an official in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the arrest was “not related to student protests.” Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
April 1 (UPI) — A Trump administration official said Monday the Minnesota college student detained recently by ICE had his visa revoked over alleged drunken driving, and not related to pro-Palestinian protests.
On Monday, an official in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the arrest was “not related to student protests.”
The individual in question was arrested after a visa revocation by the State Department related to a prior criminal history for a DUI,” The Hill and CNN reported.
The international graduate student at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management was detained last Thursday in Minneapolis by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in a situation the university’s president called “deeply concerning.”
On Sunday, the student later identified as Dogukan Gunaydin filed a federal lawsuit contesting the lawfulness of the arrest, according to The New York Times.
The University stated it had no prior knowledge of the incident and did not share any information with federal authorities before it occurred.
“We learned that, on March 27 at an off-campus residence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained a graduate student enrolled on our Twin Cities campus,” adding that university officials were “actively working” to gather more details.
“It is important to note that our campus departments of public safety, including UMPD, do not enforce federal immigration laws, and our officers do not inquire about an individual’s immigration status,” the University of Minnesota previously said in a statement.
It added the focus of campus officers is “on public safety, fostering trust and maintaining strong relationships across the University community.”
At least 300 foreign student visas have been revoked since January when Trump began his second term, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
It arrived on top of a separate ICE detainment on Friday at an off-campus residence at Minnesota State University’s Mankato campus, according to University President Edward Inch.
Inch said the university likewise was not in contact with the Trump administration or ICE.
This action hurts what we try to accomplish as a university — supporting all learners to receive the education they desire to make the impact they want in their communities,” he said Monday, adding he has been speaking with state and federal officials to “share my concern and ask for their help in curbing this activity within our campus community of learners.”