University of Alabama doctoral student detained by ICE as Trump's crackdown continues

A University of Alabama doctoral student became the latest scholar to be swept up in President Donald Trump's nationwide crackdown on migrants.

Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian citizen, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to ICE's website.

The student was detained off campus, according to The New York Times, though it wasn't immediately clear why Doroudi was detained.

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The university's student-run newspaper The Crimson White reported that Doroudi entered the country in January 2023. He was notified a few months later that his student visa was revoked. The university's International Student and Scholar Services told him the notification “was not unusual or problematic and that he could remain in the U.S. as long as he maintained his student status."

Doroudi's detainment comes after high-profile arrests of other university scholars and recent graduates. In the past two months, the Trump administration has arrested or targeted several scholars and protesters, primarily focusing on those involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

That includes Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia University graduate, who was arrested by ICE agents and threatened with deportation. Authorities accused him of terrorist activity for leading student protests that rocked the university last year.

The administration also arrested an Indian postdoctoral research fellow at Georgetown University outside his home over pro-Palestinian activity.

Additionally, Rumeysa Ozturk, A Turkish academic and research assistant, was picked up by ICE officials at Tufts University for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations.