A Turkish University of Minnesota grad student is free after being detained by federal immigration officials for several weeks.
27-year old Dogukan Gunaydin was arrested by ICE agents in March after his visa was revoked without notice. But a federal judge ordered him released, saying the government's detention of him violated his right to due process.
The Department of Homeland Security said it was due to a 2023 drunk driving conviction and that Gunaydin was a threat to public safety.
This week a federal judge ruled that the government's detention of Gunaydin violated his right to due process. Gunaydin spoke with reporters after his release.
"For weeks I was detained with my charges dismissed, bond granted, or no pending trial or hearing," says Gunaydin. "I am disappointed in the integrity of the system and individuals that allowed this to happen."
Gunaydin was held in the Sherbune County Jail for 56 days.
"It took 56 days to undo something that should not happen in the first place. 56 days, I did not see the sun or the sky," he said after his release.