U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been very busy these days. Recently, the agency has targeted a doctoral student at the University of Alabama. Alireza Doroudi, a student from Iran, was pursuing mechanical engineering. Unfortunately, his calm life was suddenly upended when ICE arrested him at home at 5 a.m. on Tuesday. The university did not share much information about the situation due to federal privacy laws.
According to David Rozas, the Alabama student’s lawyer, the young man is still allowed to stay in the U.S., unlike some other international students who were forcibly deported by ICE. The reason behind his arrest is that his visa was revoked in 2023. The lawyer stated that he did not know the exact reason why the student’s visa was revoked. “He has not been arrested for any crime, nor has he participated in any anti-government protests. He is legally present in the U.S.,” the lawyer said.
The Alabama student isn’t the only one who has gotten into trouble with ICE. Thanks to Trump‘s executive order, the organization has been working hard to identify and remove students engaged in antisemitic activities. This order has led to the arrest of numerous students who have participated in pro-Palestinian activism.
Critics believe that this action violates freedom of speech and due process. Some even argue that these deportations are politically motivated suppressions of activism related to Palestinian rights. “Where are the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ guys now? This is rather… draconian,” one Redditor commented.
Many users voiced their concerns about the situation. Some criticized Congress, arguing that lawmakers could have intervened but chose not to because they support these actions. Others pointed out that international students are increasingly anxious due to the ongoing arrests. “I remember hearing during winter break that exchange students should avoid going home because they might not be allowed back into the U.S.,” one Redditor shared.
Other comments took a political turn, with one user noting that ICE’s actions were the kind of crackdown many on the right had warned would happen under a liberal government—yet it occurred under Trump’s administration. “This is why they’re so terrified of growing minority populations someday taking the voting majority. They know how they treat minorities,” another Redditor remarked.
Some users criticized Trump’s actions, arguing that he is harming the country. “Trump is making all of us less safe. He’s shredding the legal system and the Constitution. And he’s crashing the economy,” one user commented.
