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- University of Alabama graduate student detained by ICE, school says (abcnews.go.com)
Tuscaloosa, AL – An Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama, Alireza Doroudi, is being held in Pickens County Jail on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Doroudi, who is studying mechanical engineering, was taken from his home early Thursday morning, according to his attorney, David Rozas.
The Department of Homeland Security alleges Doroudi’s student visa was revoked due to “significant national security concerns.” However, Rozas stated he has not been informed of any such concerns and emphasizes that Doroudi has not been charged with any crime nor participated in any protests.
He further asserts Doroudi is legally present in the U.S. and is in the process of applying for an EB-1 status as a researcher with extraordinary ability. Doroudi’s LinkedIn profile describes him as a skilled metallurgy engineer with extensive academic experience.
The University of Alabama confirmed Doroudi’s detainment, stating they are cooperating with federal authorities while respecting student privacy laws. They emphasized the value of international students to their campus community.
Doroudi’s detainment follows several other recent arrests of college students by ICE, including a Tufts University Ph.D. student and two students involved in pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia University. One of the Columbia students, Mahmoud Khalil, was specifically mentioned by former President Trump on social media as a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student,” an accusation Khalil and his lawyers deny.
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- University of Alabama graduate student detained by ICE, school says (abcnews.go.com)