University of Minnesota Student’s Visa Revoked Over DUI, Not Political Activism

‎Federal officials confirmed on Monday that a University of Minnesota graduate student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had their visa revoked due to a prior drunk driving offense, not for participating in protests, as previously speculated.

“This is not related to student protests,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) clarified in a statement. “The individual in question was arrested following a visa revocation by the State Department due to a previous DUI conviction.”

The lack of an official explanation at the time of the student’s detention had initially sparked protests on campus, with university and political leaders voicing concerns over the arrest. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated on Monday that he had spoken with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the situation and was awaiting further details.

Meanwhile, officials at Minnesota State University Mankato reported that another student was also detained by ICE last Friday at an off-campus residence. University President Edward Inch, in a letter to the campus community, said ICE had not provided a reason for the arrest nor requested any information from the institution.

“This is a troubling pattern where students are detained with little to no explanation, raising concerns about due process,” U.S. Senator Tina Smith said in a statement. She urged federal authorities to provide clarity on the arrests.

The University of Minnesota has not disclosed the detained student’s name but confirmed they were enrolled in the business school on the Minneapolis campus. University spokesperson Andria Waclawski stated that the institution was providing the student with legal support while respecting their privacy.

Governor Walz emphasized the importance of upholding legal rights. “Regardless of the circumstances, due process must be respected in every case,” he said.

The Trump administration has cited a rarely used legal provision allowing visa revocations for noncitizens deemed a potential threat to U.S. foreign policy interests. Recent weeks have seen over half a dozen university-affiliated individuals detained or deported under this policy, many of whom had expressed support for Palestinian causes during campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.