Alireza Doroudi Remains in ICE Detention as Alabama Student Deports Himself to Iran

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT During an emotionally charged immigration hearing on May 8, Alireza Doroudi opted to voluntarily deport himself back to Iran.

The intention was for this to mark the conclusion of a brutal 44-day struggle that began when ICE agents apprehended the 32-year-old PhD candidate at his Tuscaloosa apartment on the morning of March 25 as he was studying at the University of Alabama, subsequently deporting him. Central Louisiana Immigration Processing Facility In Jena, Louisiana, residing with approximately 1,200 other detainees whose immigration statuses were being examined.

Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani, who was engaged to Doroudi and was in the process of organizing their wedding when he was arrested. mentioned to The New York Times his mental well-being had declined so much that "regardless of anything that occurred, the officials would ensure he remained incarcerated indefinitely."

As of Thursday afternoon, though, the individual—a 32-year-old pursuing a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama—remains in ICE custody, more than two months since his initial detention.

Claire Angelle, who speaks for Doroudi’s lawyer, David Rozas, mentioned they aimed to gather further details within the coming few weeks; however, no release date has been established as of now.

In January 2023, Doroudi arrived for the first time in the United States and was subsequently apprehended by ICE on March 25. to reside in the United States with an invalidated visa Rozas had earlier stated that even with the revocation, Doroudi still had the legal right to remain in the country provided he continued to be a student. After his arrest, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security asserted that Doroudi represented a potential threat. significant national security concerns ," even though they didn't specify what these issues entailed, or that apart from a speeding citation in Greene County in 2023, Doroudi had no prior criminal history.

At an immigration proceeding on May 8, authorities stated their intention to withdraw the visa revocation allegation against Doroudi. Nevertheless, rather than releasing him, Judge Maithe Gonzalez opted to set up another hearing so that the Department of Homeland Security could submit their assertion in written form, which led to the denial of bail for Doroudi. This prompted Doroudi to choose voluntary departure.

“After months of being locked up by a system that saw an alleged visa violation (proven later to be false) as justification to treat him like a threat, he chose voluntary departure. Not because he wanted to give up—but because he couldn’t take the weight of it anymore,” Rozas said following the hearing. “It’s a decision that should never have been forced on him. And it’s the kind of decision I see more and more of these days.”

No date has been set for when Doroudi could be released from ICE or when he would be expected to return to Iran.

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