In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani’s life was turned upside down when her fiancé, Alireza Doroudi, was arrested by immigration officers shortly after they celebrated the Persian New Year. Doroudi, a dedicated doctoral student from Iran, was taken without any prior notice, leaving Bajgani and their small Iranian community in fear. Following his detention, other Iranian students received informal advice to “lay low,” highlighting an environment of anxiety among them.
Doroudi, who entered the U.S. legally on a student visa in January 2023, found his visa revoked in June without explanation. Although he had been advised he could remain as a student, immigration authorities arrested him in March at Bajgani’s apartment. Currently, he is in a detention facility in Louisiana, awaiting a deportation hearing, and expressing feelings of injustice and confusion about his treatment.
The broader context reveals that since late March, over 1,000 international students across the U.S. have faced similar issues with their visas being revoked as part of President Trump’s immigration enforcement. Among these students, some have participated in protests, provoking further scrutiny. The University of Alabama acknowledges these challenges but has not commented specifically on Doroudi’s case, emphasizing its support for immigrant students.
In light of these events, the once vibrant Iranian community at the university feels increasingly unsafe, noting significant stress and fear for their own status. Celebratory gatherings have morphed into somber affairs that reflect the deep concerns about their security and future in the U.S. As one student put it, “It’s becoming too hard to be living here, to be yourself and thrive,” echoing the sentiments of many in this community who now feel as if they are regressing back to conditions they sought to escape.
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