A week after five international students at Minnesota State University Mankato had their legal status revoked and a sixth was detained, about 50 students, staff and supporters rallied on campus to show support for their classmates and push for the detained student’s return.
The rally outside the student union was organized by Mavericks for Change, a Mankato student group. They encouraged international students to stay away, so they wouldn’t be targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Seven students got their visas revoked. Graduation is a month away and now they won’t be able to complete that,” said Natalia Orocio, the group’s vice president.
None of the Mankato students have been identified.
Sophomore Khalid Mohamed said he knows many international students who are “in distress” right now.
“It’s scary, especially when it happens in your school, not knowing what could be next. You could be doing your own thing and maybe that could be you.”
This week, a student from South Central College, which has campuses in North Mankato and Faribault, had their visa revoked, the Free Press of Mankato reported on Tuesday.
Two international students at the University of Minnesota have also lost their student status and a Turkish MBA student there is in immigration detention at the Sherburne County jail.
Mavericks for Change President Cole Koets said MSU Mankato has taken steps to deter ICE from targeting students on campus, but the Minnesota State system as a whole could do more to protect students.
“The Trump administration has been very clear in their priorities, which is suppressing student dissent and putting the fear into the hearts of international students across our country. Universities everywhere should be taking proactive action to prevent that from occurring,” he said.
Sahan News editor Trisha Collopy contributed to this story.
