A doctoral student at the University of Alabama has been detained by federal immigration authorities, according to a statement from the university on Wednesday. This incident is part of a broader trend, with more than half a dozen students reportedly targeted by the Trump administration in recent weeks.
While the university did not disclose the student's name, online records from Immigration and Customs Enforcement indicate that Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian citizen, was the individual detained. Alex House, a spokeswoman for the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, stated that the student was apprehended off campus. The reasons for the student's targeting remain unclear, and U.S. immigration officials did not respond to inquiries on Wednesday evening.
Earlier this month, Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University and a leader of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, was arrested in New York. Despite having permanent U.S. residency and not being charged with any crime, the Trump administration has labeled his comments as antisemitic and suggested he should be deported.
Additionally, on Tuesday, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University with a student visa, was taken into federal custody. Sunil Kumar, the president of Tufts University, informed students, staff, and faculty that the student's visa had been terminated.
The detainment of Mr. Doroudi was first reported by The Crimson White, a student-run newspaper at the University of Alabama, on Wednesday afternoon. According to a LinkedIn profile attributed to Mr. Doroudi, he is studying mechanical engineering with a specialization in metallurgical engineering, focusing on metals used in industrial products. Last year, he expressed excitement about his first published paper as a Ph.D. researcher.