Minneapolis, MN
University of Minnesota says graduate student was detained by ICE
A graduate student at the University of Minnesota was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Thursday at an off-campus residence, the school said in a statement.
Friday’s statement — signed by President Rebecca Cunningham, Vice President for Student Affairs Calvin Phillips and Vice President for Equity and Diversity Mercedes Ramírez Fernández — called the situation “deeply concerning.” The international student is enrolled in the Twin Cities campus, the school said.
The university said it did not have further information or more details on the situation. It also said it had no prior knowledge that the detention was happening and did not share any information with federal agents beforehand.
The school did not release the student’s name. The student’s nationality and visa type and status were unavailable.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to requests for comment Saturday evening.
“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 UMN statement said. “Their focus remains on public safety, fostering trust and maintaining strong relationships across the University community.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Friday that he had been in touch with DHS to get information, and added that he would share more when he could.
“The University of Minnesota is an international destination for education and research. We have any number of students studying here with visas, and we need answers,” Walz said on X.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the student’s detainment “deeply troubling” in a post on X.
“Educational environments must be places where all students can focus on learning and growing without fear,” Frey said.
This latest arrest comes on the heels of other arrests of international students at American universities.
Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University who led student protests at the New York school last spring, was arrested by federal immigration agents earlier this month and was told his student visa was being revoked.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident of the United States, was accused of supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. A lawyer of his rejected the claim, saying there is no evidence Khalil provided support of any kind to a terrorist organization.
Khalil is being held in federal custody in Louisiana after U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman ruled he cannot be deported “to preserve the court’s jurisdiction” as it weighs a filing challenging his arrest and planned deportation.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts University who is a Turkish national in the U.S. on what her attorney said was a valid student visa, was similarly arrested by federal immigration agents Tuesday and is also being held in Louisiana. Her arrest was caught on video, with Ozturk’s lawyer saying she was on her way to meet friends for iftar, a meal that breaks the day-time fast observed by Muslims during Ramadan, when she was arrested.
A court order Friday blocked Ozturk’s deportation while U.S. District Judge Denise Casper determines whether she has jurisdiction over the case.
An Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama, Alireza Doroudi, and a Russian medical researcher at Harvard University, Kseniia Petrova, were both detained by immigration agents this week as well.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis salon is turning heads by mixing rock and roll with haircuts, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for music lovers.
A salon where music and haircuts go hand in hand
What we know:
HiFi Hair and Records sits on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, marked by a leopard print awning and a vibe that’s all about community through music.
“I tried to model it after a barbershop,” said Jonny Clifford, owner of the salon.
Clifford opened the shop in 2011, inspired by his father who introduced him to music and was battling terminal cancer at the time.
The salon brings together the hum of blow dryers and the sounds of rock and roll, with Clifford saying, “Music is the uniter. Most everyone who is alive today grew up on rock and roll.”
He added a record store the following year, letting customers browse new and used vinyl and CDs while waiting for their appointment.
“I jokingly refer to it as the coolest waiting room in the city,” said Clifford.
The shop is filled with memorabilia from music legends like Elvis, David Bowie and The Monkees. There’s even a wall dedicated to Minnesota’s local music scene.
Clifford said, “We’ve got Bobby V who I think never gets enough credit for his contributions to music in Minnesota.”
Clifford’s journey from punk haircuts to community hub
Why you should care:
Clifford started cutting hair in the early 1980s because he and his friends in southwest Minneapolis couldn’t afford the punk haircuts they wanted.
Now, he not only looks the part—”Ronny Wood, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, I’m always like old Keith Richards or young Keith Richards”—but he helps others feel like rock stars too.
“People are like make me look like a rock star and that is sort of a universal term right. Everyone wants to look like a rock star,” said Clifford.
His goal is simple:
“If I can make a living and raise my family, pay my bills, have a business and be a part of a community, that is important to me. I win. That’s everything,” said Clifford.
He is passionate about giving a boost to local musicians, saying, “I think they need it more. I love Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones, but they are doing fine. Our local people haven’t made it national yet. They could use a voice. They could use a boost, and they need to be heard.”
The salon’s rhythm is all about joy, music and community, and Clifford plans to keep it going.
“Til I kick over. I’ll probably be back standing behind the chair. And someone will complain I didn’t finish their haircut,” said Clifford.
HiFi Hair and Records continues to be a place where music and style meet, giving Minnesota’s music scene a little extra volume.
EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) – A deadly shooting in Edina sparked a massive police response and forced a lockdown at nearby businesses at Southdale Mall on Wednesday as police are searching for the suspects.
Deadly Edina shooting
What we know:
Edina police responded around 12:30 p.m. to the report of a shooting along West 66th Street near Southdale Mall.
At the scene, officers found one victim with a gunshot wound. Officers tried to revive the victim but say they ultimately died from their wounds.
Local perspective:
Police say the suspects ran from the scene. As a precaution, they advised nearby businesses to go into lockdown. FOX 9 learned that MHealth Fairview also went into lockdown procedures as a precaution.
Aerial video from the scene showed the investigation appeared to be focused around an apartment building across from the mall. Police say the apartment building is described as a transitional housing.
Avoid the area
Big picture view:
Police are asking the public to avoid the area as the investigation is underway. Officers have blocked off West 66th for the time being.
Police say they are looking for more than one suspect involved in the shooting.
What we don’t know:
Police say some people were taken into custody at the scene but it’s unclear what their role was in relation to the shooting.
Law enforcement near the 3300 block of W. 66th Street in Edina. (FOX 9)
Minneapolis, MN
Ellison, Minneapolis, St. Paul update lawsuit against Operation Metro Surge with new data
(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis and Saint Paul updated their lawsuit over Operation Metro Surge with new survey data on economic harm.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego conducted two surveys tied to the amended lawsuit. The lawsuit says the federal operation violated the Constitution and caused lasting economic damage.
The first survey was done between February and March and included nearly 1,400 residents. It found workers lost more than $240 million in wages during the operation.
A separate newly released survey of about 900 businesses found more than $600 million in lost revenue. The updated lawsuit from Keith Ellison and the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul adds that new data to its claims.
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