


The University of Alabama confirmed on Wednesday that a doctoral student has been detained off-campus by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Reports from The Crimson White, the university’s student newspaper, identified the student as Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian national studying under a student visa.
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It is unclear why Doroudi is being detained or what charges he is facing, but Doroudi has engaged in pro-Palestinian protests.
“ICE HSI made this arrest in accordance with the State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa. This individual posed significant national security concerns,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in an email to NBC News.
Doroudi’s arrest highlights a growing trend of increased scrutiny and actions taken against international students by the Trump administration over students’ involvement in pro-Palestinian protests.
President Donald Trump is seeking to expel noncitizens who are pushing the cause of terrorist groups such as Hamas. Through an executive order signed on his first day in office, Trump granted the secretary of state authority to deport noncitizens who are perceived as a threat to U.S. national security. This has resulted in a series of targeted actions against certain international students, a trend that has raised significant concerns within academic communities.
“Our fears have come to pass. Donald Trump, Tom Homan and ICE have struck a cold, vicious dagger through the heart of UA’s international community,” the University of Alabama College Democrats said in a statement.
Doroudi’s arrest comes just a day after ICE officers arrested Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who is from Turkey. DHS accused Doroudi of “glorifying and supporting terrorists” and showing support for Hamas.
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And a recent Columbia graduate, Mahmoud Khalil, is currently being detained in Louisiana for “siding with [Hamas] terrorists” and “[leading] activities aligned to Hamas.”
A federal judge blocked the deportation of Khalil, a permanent resident with green card status, and moved his case to a court in New Jersey. DHS will argue again in court on Friday to move his case to Louisiana.