US immigration authorities detain University of Minnesota graduate student

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US immigration authorities detained another international graduate student, this time from the University of Minnesota, continuing a pattern of arrests of foreign scholars that has sparked nationwide concern.

The still-unidentified student was taken from an off-campus Twin Cities residence on Thursday, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) providing no immediate explanation.

University President Rebecca Cunningham confirmed in a Friday blog post that they had "no prior knowledge" of the action and were scrambling to secure details.

"I just spoke with Homeland Security to get more information and I will share when I learn more," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said. He noted the university's status as "an international destination for education and research."

State Senator Doron Clark said he is "saddened and angered" by the detention, emphasizing that "campuses should be a safe place for all."

The detention follows months of similar cases involving pro-Palestinian scholars like Columbia's Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts' Rumeysa Ozturk.

Over 50,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 under Israeli bombardment that's drawn global student protests.