Alireza Doroudi, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alabama, has agreed to voluntarily return to Iran after spending six weeks in ICE custody — a move that has raised alarm among immigration advocates and academic communities across the country. The circumstances surrounding his detention, stemming from a disputed revocation of his student visa, have drawn national attention and renewed scrutiny of how international students are treated under U.S. immigration policy.
Doroudi arrived in the United States in January 2023 on a valid F-1 student visa to pursue a doctorate in mechanical engineering. For more than a year, he maintained his academic standing and complied with all immigration requirements. But in June 2023, without prior warning or explanation, his visa was revoked. Despite the revocation, the University of Alabama’s International Student and Scholar Services informed Doroudi that he could legally remain in the U.S. as long as he continued his studies and stayed in status.
That assurance fell apart in March 2025, when ICE agents arrested Doroudi at his apartment in Tuscaloosa. The arrest was made on vague claims of national security concerns, yet no evidence was disclosed to substantiate them. He was swiftly transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, where he was held without bond.
Doroudi was charged with two immigration violations: remaining in the U.S. after his visa was revoked and falling out of student status. However, the first charge was eventually dropped when the government clarified that the visa revocation was “prudential” and not legally binding at the time of his arrest. His attorney, David Rozas, challenged the second charge, insisting that Doroudi had done everything right and never violated the terms of his visa.
Despite these efforts, Doroudi remained detained, caught in a web of bureaucratic uncertainty. After weeks of confinement and with no resolution in sight, he made the painful decision to return to Iran voluntarily. His fiancée, Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani, and legal team expressed heartbreak and frustration over the ordeal, stating that he had become a victim of an increasingly unforgiving immigration system.
Doroudi’s case is not isolated. Since the Trump administration, visa revocations and detentions of international students have risen, particularly targeting nationals from countries like Iran. Over 1,400 student visas have reportedly been canceled under national security grounds, often without clear justification.
The University of Alabama confirmed Doroudi’s detention but cited privacy regulations in declining further comment. Meanwhile, his story has resonated across academia, prompting calls for stronger protections and advocacy for international students.
What began as a pursuit of academic achievement ended in a forced departure, highlighting the fragile and uncertain status international students face in the United States today. Doroudi’s experience stands as a stark reminder of the real human cost behind immigration enforcement.
