Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, requested a briefing with Evanston’s mayor, Daniel Biss, to press officials on decisions surrounding the April 2024 pro‑Palestinian encampment at Northwestern University. Walberg’s letter cited internal communications from Northwestern leadership and questioned local cooperation with campus police, igniting a renewed political standoff over free speech, campus safety and municipal–university agreements. Local leaders and the university dispute Walberg’s framing; Mayor Biss defended his actions as grounded in public-safety and constitutional concerns. At the same time, community and campus actors in Minneapolis and other cities described heightened tension following federal enforcement operations that have affected university neighborhoods and partnerships. One-year-on reporting from Minneapolis-area institutions highlights the practical consequences for campus operations: universities have increased virtual offerings, reassessed campus safety protocols, and leaned on longstanding community ties to maintain programming amid volatile local policing decisions. The episode underscores the political risk for university presidents and municipal officials when protests escalate into federal inquiries.