A University of Minnesota international graduate student was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Thursday night, the school said in a letter to students, faculty and staff on Friday.

The letter from U President Rebecca Cunningham called it a “deeply concerning situation involving one of our international graduate students” and said that the school had no prior knowledge of the detainment and did not share any information with federal authorities before it occurred.

The graduate student, who is enrolled on the U’s Twin Cities campus, was detained at an off-campus residence Thursday, according to the letter, which did not identify the student or the student’s nationality. Jake Ricker, a university spokesperson, said the student was enrolled in the Carlson School of Management.It was unclear if federal immigration authorities had publicly disclosed the student’s detention, which is the first publicly known immigration enforcement action involving a University of Minnesota student

In a post on the social media account X, Gov. Tim Walz said he had been in contact with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and would share further details when he learned them. “We need answers,” wrote Walz, a Democrat.

Other elected Minnesota officials signaled deeper alarm.

“Our campuses should be a safe place for all students, staff and visitors,” state Sen. Doron Clark, a Minneapolis Democrat, said in a statement. “We must stand up against the Trump administration’s senseless demonization of our friends, family and neighbors.”

The arrest came as people with ties to American universities, most of whom have shown support for pro-Palestinian causes, have been detained in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants.

President Donald Trump and other officials have accused protesters and others of being “pro-Hamas,” referring to the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Many protesters have said they were speaking out against Israel’s actions in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Trump’s Republican administration has cited a seldom-invoked statute authorizing the secretary of state to revoke visas of noncitizens who could be considered a threat to foreign policy interests. More than half a dozen people are known to have been taken into custody or deported by ICE officials in recent weeks.

Last month, the University of Minnesota was one of five U.S. universities singled out by the Trump administration over allegations of antisemitism. Since the outcry over campus protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war, universities, including Minnesota, say they have taken steps to address antisemitism.

Minnesota, which was among the major universities that had a pro-Palestinian protest encampment last spring, has grappled for more than a year with concerns about speech on campus.

Two weeks ago, the U’s Board of Regents declared that Minnesota should largely refrain from issuing official statements about “matters of public concern or public interest.”

Meanwhile, the U is working to find out more details about what happened, Cunningham’s letter said.

“In cases like this, the University takes steps to ensure students are connected to internal resources and support, such as Student Legal Service and International Student and Scholar Services,” the letter said, noting that the school’s public safety and police staff don’t enforce federal immigration laws or ask about anyone’s immigration status.

“Their focus remains on public safety, fostering trust and maintaining strong relationships across the University community.”

The letter said that as school officials work to find out more, the school has information, resources and FAQs about federal immigration policies available on its website at tinyurl.com/2s4zuwpb.

“We understand how distressing this news may be for members of our University community. If you or someone you know needs mental health support during this time, please visit mentalhealth.umn.edu, which connects you to resources across all five campuses.”

International students make up some 11% of the U’s student population, with more than 5,200 students from 140 different countries.

This report includes information from the Associated Press and New York Times.