The University of Michigan is reportedly utilizing private investigators from a security firm to monitor student groups supportive of Palestine, both on campus and off, with claims of tracking students, recording conversations, and eavesdropping.

This surveillance has raised concerns among some students, who describe it as intimidation aimed at stifling dissent.

Accounts from five students indicate that private investigators have verbally assaulted and threatened them.

In one incident, a student alleged that an investigator drove a vehicle toward them, forcing them to jump aside to avoid being hit.

Video evidence corroborating some of these claims has surfaced, revealing troubling interactions where one man, following a student, pretended to have a disability and falsely accused the student of theft.

The investigators appear to be contracted through 'City Shield,' a private security company based in Detroit.

Evidence gathered by these investigators has reportedly been utilized in prosecuting and incarcerating students, according to a review of police records and university spending documents.

Many charges have since been dropped.

Financial records from the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents disclose that the institution allocated at least $800,000 to 'Ameri-Shield,' the parent company of 'City Shield' during the period from June 2023 to September 2024.

Among those reporting frequent surveillance is Katrina Keating, a member of 'Students United for Freedom and Equality,' a local branch of the 'Students for Justice in Palestine' movement.

Keating articulated a persistent state of anxiety since surveillance began in November, stating, "It feels like they have spent millions to follow a group of student activists, which is a tremendous waste of money and time."

Students have indicated that the number of investigators has increased following student raids conducted by Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), initiated during Donald Trump's presidency.

A spokesperson for the University of Michigan stated that no complaints have been received regarding the investigators and did not deny the existence of surveillance.

The university highlighted that any security measures are intended solely to maintain a safe campus environment and are not directed against individuals or groups based on their beliefs or affiliations.

City Shield declined to comment, as did Jordan Acker, a member of the Board of Regents who has been vocal in opposing the protestors.

The use of clandestine private security in universities has been described as unprecedented by Lindsay Rynk, director of advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Rynk suggested that this approach undermines the culture of free expression on campuses, creating a chilling effect on student activism.

In recent months, American universities have seen numerous protests against perceived atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza, alongside expressions of solidarity with students arrested for advocating a ceasefire in the region.

Amid these developments, during a second term, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a task force aimed at eliminating anti-Semitic practices in schools and universities, reviewing contracts and grant allocations that have drawn significant federal funding.

Harvard University, having faced similar pressures, characterized these demands as illegal and resisted compliance.

This resulted in escalated measures by the Trump administration, including withholding substantial financial support and revoking tax-exempt status, seeking to classify the university as a political entity.

While Harvard resisted administrative pressures, other universities have begun implementing measures to monitor students expressing support for ceasing the conflict in Gaza and advocating for a ceasefire.