ICE arrests University of Alabama student amid immigration crackdown

In the United States, recent actions by immigration authorities have prompted significant concern within the higher education community. On March 25, 2025, Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at his home. Reports indicate that he was arrested at approximately 5 a.m. ET, as part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to target noncitizens in educational institutions. The University of Alabama confirmed that Doroudi was taken off-campus by federal agents but could not provide further details due to privacy laws. The arrests of noncitizen students are part of broader immigration enforcement strategies that have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty within academic environments. Doroudi's detainment has raised alarms among members of the university community, particularly among international students. University representatives and student organizations expressed deep concern about the implications of such actions and called it a troubling development for the university's international community. The University of Alabama College Democrats referred to this as a “bitter blow” and suggested that the political motivations behind Doroudi's arrest are unclear, calling for transparency and justification from ICE regarding their actions. Coinciding with Doroudi's detainment, another incident occurred involving a Tufts University graduate student, Rumeysa Ozturk, who was arrested for allegedly supporting Hamas. Government officials, including the Department of Homeland Security, have increasingly targeted individuals considered supportive of organizations deemed threatening to national security. While Ozturk's case drew attention for its circumstances—her publicized support for a controversial political stance, as well as being apprehended in public—Doroudi's arrest remains shrouded in uncertainty regarding the rationale behind ICE's operation. These events reflect a concerning trend within U.S. immigration policy that has intensified in recent months. Higher educational institutions, once seen as havens for free thought and expression, are now facing the dual challenge of supporting their students while navigating a landscape marked by stringent immigration enforcement. As awareness of Doroudi's case grows, both the University of Alabama and other educational institutions may face increased pressure to advocate for their international students' rights and safety, striving to protect the values of diversity and inclusion on campus.