U of M student to remain detained in U.S. for now as ICE is given an extension to file charges
A University of Minnesota graduate student will remain in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for at least three more weeks.
Dogukan Gunaydin, a 28-year-old Turkish citizen, is an MBA student at the Carlson School of Management and was detained by ICE on March 27. Homeland Security officials said his visa was revoked because of a 2023 DWI arrest in Minneapolis.
Gunaydin had a hearing in immigration court Tuesday afternoon, where ICE asked for the delay so they can formalize the charges against him. He has been in ICE custody since his arrest in March.
The immigration judge gave the government until April 22 to draft federal charges. Gunaydin's defense attorney has until April 29 to respond, and a hearing will be held on May 6.
Gunaydin was detained while walking to class from his St. Paul home. His lawyer, however, provided records showing his visa was revoked several hours after his arrest, so she says he was detained while having lawful student status.
Video of Gunaydin's 2023 arrest shows him saying he feared deportation after officers told him a breathalyzer test showed he was three times over the legal limit.
"I should not have done this," Gunaydin said in the dash cam video. "I just don't want this to be the reason that I go back to the third-world country, that I just f****** die from a terrorist organization."
Court records show that in March 2024, when Gunaydin petitioned to enter a guilty plea, he stated, "I understand that if I am not a citizen of the United States, my plea of guilty may result in deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization as a United States citizen."
But Gunaydin's lawyer said he has already served his time and has expressed remorse for the DWI.
He made a virtual appearance from the Sherburne County Jail for a court hearing last week. Federal prosecutors accuse him of being a public safety and national security threat, but Gunaydin is suing President Trump and other officials, alleging his continued detainment is unlawful.
Note: The above video first aired on April 11, 2025.
