Oversight chair says University of Detroit Mercy reassured committee on foreign joint ventures; flags large foreign political donations

Chair Brock of the House Oversight Committee on Homeland Security and Foreign Influence briefed the committee about outreach to Michigan universities concerning foreign joint ventures and said he met with University of Detroit Mercy officials who described structural safeguards around engineering partnerships and cybersecurity coursework.

Brock said he and the committee’s working group sent letters to multiple universities seeking information about collaborations with foreign entities of concern. He told members that in a recent meeting with University of Detroit Mercy officials, he learned that the university’s engineering joint‑venture programs operate in some countries abroad and that, in many cases, foreign students participate in overseas programs while professors or adjunct instructors teach from the U.S. or by remote connection.

The chair said University of Detroit Mercy maintains separate departmental structures and physical separation between engineering and cybersecurity programs, and that foreign students from countries of concern are not permitted to enroll in the cybersecurity coursework tied to Department of Defense research. He said the university’s safeguards gave him “a lot of reassurance.”

Brock also displayed an inert 30‑millimeter A‑10 round as a show‑and‑tell object and referenced recent news coverage that reported large donations from foreign entities to U.S. political campaigns. He said press reports showed some foreign companies have made substantial contributions and that committee members should remain alert to foreign political influence in fundraising. He singled out a reported $1 million donation by a company he named and said the size of such contributions warrants continued oversight.

Why it matters: The committee’s rostered responsibility includes examining foreign influence in research and political processes. Brock framed the university outreach as part of an effort to understand how academic collaborations operate and to identify whether additional safeguards are needed when research touches national‑security interests.

What was not decided: Brock said the outreach and meetings were informational; the committee did not vote on legislation or adopt formal findings during the session.

Ending He suggested that University of Detroit Mercy or other interested institutions could participate in future committee briefings when the panel addresses cybersecurity research and foreign partnerships.