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MINNEAPOLIS 鈥� The University of Minnesota says it鈥檚 working to address antisemitism on campus amid federal investigations spurred by protests against Israel and the recent immigration arrest of a pro-Palestinian organizer.

U of M President Rebecca Cunningham outlined the U鈥檚 steps to combat antisemitism in an email to students and staff Monday, March 10.

鈥淭here is absolutely no place for antisemitism at the University of Minnesota,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚n accordance with our institutional values, we firmly and aggressively reject any and all forms of hatred directed toward members of our Jewish community.鈥�

The university is one of 60 schools under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Justice announced 鈥� along with nine other universities 鈥� as part of its own investigation into the school.

The investigations are a part of an executive order President Donald Trump signed in January that seeks to 鈥渋nvestigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.鈥�

The moves have alarmed pro-Palestinian groups and free speech advocates who say the federal government is cracking down on the right to protest.

In her statement to the campus, Cunningham pointed to recent efforts to combat antisemitism. She named improvements to the school鈥檚 bias reporting and response system, and said the school has joined the Hillel Campus Climate Initiative, a nationwide project by the Jewish organization Hillel.

She also pointed to efforts to clarify protest policies. The University over the summer reminding students to limit sizes, locations and hours of demonstrations. Students violating the rules can face suspension, arrest and other penalties.

On Friday, the Board of Regents is expected to consider a resolution that could limit the kinds of public statements the university鈥檚 institutes, centers and academic departments can make. It would bar 鈥渋nstitutional statements addressing matters of public concern or public interest.鈥�

Richard Painter, a professor at the U, is urging the regents to approve the resolution. In 2023, Painter and former regent Michael Hsu filed a complaint with the feds over statements critical of Israel that were posted to a College of Liberal Arts departmental website.

Painter suggested that passing the resolution Friday, among other actions, could insulate the university from federal funding cuts as a result of the investigations. Others on campus warn the resolution would muzzle faculty and create a slippery slope toward authoritarianism.

The Trump administration recently pulled $400 million in funding from Columbia University over antisemitism claims stemming from last year鈥檚 prominent protests on the campus.

Trump also warned Monday that he plans to crack down on individual protesters after federal agents arrested a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia. ICE agents detained Mahmoud Khalil in New York on Saturday and took him to a federal immigration jail in Louisiana.

Khalil is a legal U.S. resident; a federal judge has ordered that he not be deported yet to give the court time to consider a legal challenge.

The investigations and arrests are raising alarms for protesters and civil rights advocates. The Minnesota Anti-War Committee led a protest Tuesday evening to push back against the arrest and the federal crackdown on students.

Tim Evans for MPR News

鈥淲e are concerned that UMN will follow suit and submit information to allow the detention of MN students, faculty, and staff for participating in protests,鈥� Anti-War Committee organizer Meredith Aby said in a statement. 鈥淭he racist targeting of Khalil aims to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others at all university campuses. We are organizing this protest to show community support for the pro-Palestine student movement.鈥�

University leaders the school would only share student information if it is required by a subpoena or court order, as has always been the case. They also say campus law enforcement officers do not participate in immigration enforcement.

This story was originally published on MPRNews.org