Federal immigration officials have moved an University of Alabama graduate student to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Jena, Louisiana.
An attorney for Alireza Doroudi confirmed his whereabouts after the ICE detainee locator listed where he was detained. For several days, the detainee locator only stated he was “in ICE custody” but did not list any location. The facility in Jena is holding several international students targeted by federal authorities.
David Rozas, Doroudi’s attorney, disputed claims by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that his client posed a national security concern.
Doroudi, an Iranian national pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering, was taken into custody by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit last week., Rozas said in a statement. Immigration authorities cited the U.S. State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa as the reason for his arrest.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Doroudi “posed significant national security concerns.” The spokesperson declined to provide further details about what the concerns were, saying “That is all we are able to share at this time.”
Rozas challenged that characterization, saying he was unaware “of any allegations concerning significant national security issues.”
“He has not been arrested for any crime, nor has he participated in any anti-government protests,” the statement from Rozas said. “He is legally present in the U.S., pursuing his American dream by working towards his doctorate in mechanical engineering.”
Rozas added that Doroudi’s student visa was still active and that he was in the early stages of applying for permanent residency as a researcher.
Student organizers from the Students for Justice in Palestine, a student organization at the University of Alabama that Doroudi had no involvement in recent pro-Palestine protests at the university or with the organization.
Doroudi’s fiancé, Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani, started a GoFundMe to help cover his legal expenses, garnering over $21,000 in about a day. She said in a LinkedIn post that Doroudi’s is set to defend his dissertation next academic year and has been “fully engaged” in academic work and research projects in the department.
“His dedication and achievements have earned him recognition in his field and led to his selection to apply for permanent residency,” she wrote in a post.
The University of Alabama has not provided further details about the situation. Spokesperson Alex House did not respond to messages late last week after initially stating that the university was cooperating with immigration authorities. House did not address whether the university was offering Doroudi any assistance.
