Doğukan Günaydın
Doğukan Günaydın, 28, a Turkish citizen who previously attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, was detained by plainclothes federal officers outside his St. Paul home while on his way to class last Thursday. According to his legal petition, Günaydın initially "feared he was being kidnapped as a man in a hooded sweatshirt grabbed him and handcuffed him."
The arrest has sparked concern among higher education advocates about the treatment of international students and the interpretation of visa regulations.
The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Günaydın was arrested due to a previous conviction for driving under the influence. However, Günaydın's legal team argues that a DUI conviction is not listed among the legal grounds for terminating a student visa, according to DHS's own regulations.
His petition states that his F-1 student visa wasn't terminated until approximately seven hours after his arrest, with the only reason provided being "otherwise failing to maintain status." The document cites laws indicating deportation is applicable when an individual fails to maintain immigration status or when their presence "would have potentially adverse foreign policy consequences."
Günaydın's attorney argues in the lawsuit that none of these legal grounds have been met in his case.
The petition highlights Günaydın's academic accomplishments despite his prior legal issue. After his DUI conviction in June 2023, for which he pleaded guilty and fulfilled all conditions of his release, Günaydın was accepted into the prestigious Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota, awarded a scholarship, and has maintained a high grade-point average while carrying a full course load.
