In the early hours of the morning, law enforcement authorities arrested an Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama at his apartment. The sudden arrest took place despite his lawyer’s assertion that the student was legally allowed to remain in the United States. The student, Alireza Doroudi, aged 32, was taken into custody when immigration officials revoked his visa in 2023. While both U.S. authorities and Doroudi’s representatives acknowledge the visa revocation, the cause behind this decision remains unclear to his legal counsel.
David Rozas, the attorney representing Doroudi, emphasized that his client has not been involved in any criminal activities nor engaged in anti-government demonstrations. “He is rightfully present in the U.S., committed to achieving his doctorate in mechanical engineering,” Rozas highlighted. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security mentioned that the action taken against Doroudi was based on the State Department’s decision to withdraw his visa. Pointedly, they remarked that Doroudi posed “significant national security concerns,” yet provided no further details regarding these claims. Rozas stated that he had received no information suggesting any security risks related to his client.
Immigration lawyer Carl Shusterman from Los Angeles, who is not directly associated with Doroudi’s case, explained that student visa revocations have become increasingly common in recent years. Typically, such changes stem from minor legal infractions like driving under the influence. Although the revocation prevents re-entry into the United States, students often retain permission to stay if they continue their studies.
As of now, Doroudi is detained at Pickens County Jail in Carrollton, Alabama, with plans for his transfer to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility located in Jena, Louisiana—a small town distant from urban centers. This case is part of a trend of similar immigration-related arrests targeting university students with several also held in rural Louisiana, a significant detention zone established during President Donald Trump’s first term.
In related incidents, legal teams for other international scholars detained under similar circumstances have been active. For example, lawyers representing Mahmoud Khalil, another student at Columbia University facing deportation due to involvement in campus protests, requested a judge to relocate his proceedings away from Jena, criticizing the imprisonment as an attempt to suppress free expression. Additionally, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, recently faced detention while walking in a Massachusetts suburb, and despite an attempt to transfer her to Louisiana, a federal judge has ordered she remain in Massachusetts.
The Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement has differed significantly from prior practices, often employing aggressive and previously underutilized measures. Despite pledges of mass deportation campaigns, the administration’s tactics stand out for specifically targeting individuals like university students. An instance highlighting such methods involved using rarely-invoked powers to detain Venezuelans in El Salvador.
Before Doroudi’s arrest, officers reportedly knocked on his door at 3 a.m., a surprise that his lawyer noted felt like a break-in. Allegedly, Doroudi was informed by ICE at his detention center that his extended stay without a valid visa was unacceptable due to his nationality. To prove his student status, he was instructed to present evidence in court.
Neighbors of Doroudi’s apartment, preferring anonymity, expressed they were awoken and distressed by the nighttime arrest. Concurrently, the University of Alabama confirmed that the student was taken from an off-campus location, reiterating their commitment to complying with immigration regulations while valuing international students as key parts of the academic community.
There is a scheduled immigration hearing for Doroudi in early April, which his attorney fears might affect his student status due to his inability to continue his schooling. Alabama’s court records reflect only a citation against Doroudi for speeding and reckless driving in November 2023 without any additional legal issues reported.