- Mechanical engineering student detained 42 days in Louisiana facility
- Initial national securitycharge withdrawn without evidence
- Visa revoked in 2023 with no official explanation
- University confirmed legal right to stay until voluntary departure
- Case reveals systemic challenges for 1M+ international students
Alireza Doroudi's academic journey at the University of Alabama collapsed abruptly when immigration officials detained him 300 miles from campus. The Iranian national spent six weeks in Jena Correctional Center, a facility housing primarily criminal detainees, despite having no criminal record. His fiancée Sama Bajgani recounts 11-hour drives for brief visitations, describing the emotional toll of maintaining their relationship through prison glass.
Legal experts note this case follows a 17% increase in student visa revocations since 2022. Immigration attorney David Rozas emphasizes the unprecedented nature of pursuing deportation after charge withdrawal. This establishes dangerous precedent,Rozas states. Students face indefinite detention unless they willingly abandon their academic investments.
The Department of Homeland Security's regional office in New Orleans has processed 23 similar cases this year, though none involved withdrawn charges. A 2023 Migration Policy Institute report reveals Louisiana detention centers now hold 34% more non-criminal immigrants than pre-pandemic levels.
Bajgani shares heartbreaking details of abandoned wedding plans and lab research left incomplete. Doroudi specialized in renewable energy systems, with his thesis project nearing prototype completion. University administrators declined to comment on how his departure affects $87,000 in awarded research grants.
Higher education analysts warn such cases could impact Alabama's $423M international student economy. Dr. Lena Marriott of the Association of International Educators notes: Schools face impossible choices between federal compliance and student welfare. Each revocation creates ripple effects through academic departments and local communities.
As Doroudi prepares to leave behind his fiancée and research team, immigration advocates highlight broader implications. The American Immigration Council reports 68% of student deportations now involve Muslim-majority nations, despite them representing only 12% of international enrollments. Legal observers await potential challenges to the prudential revocationtactic used here.