Doctoral student at University of Alabama detained by US immigration officials – The Times of India

On Wednesday, US immigration authorities detained another student, this time a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, as reported by The Guardian. The student was arrested “off-campus” by federal immigration officials. This development follows reports that the Trump administration is increasingly targeting college students for arrest and deportation, including those on visas and permanent residents with green cards.
The University of Alabama’s The Crimson White (a student newspaper) reported that the student was detained at their home early Tuesday morning. The Guardian reports that it remains unclear whether the arrested student had legal representation. This news came on the same day that Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk was detained by federal immigration agents. Her arrest appears to be part of the US government’s crackdown on students involved in pro-Palestinian activism on campus last year.
Supporters of Ozturk claim her detention on Tuesday night marks the first known immigration arrest of a Boston-area student engaged in such activism under President Donald Trump’s administration. Reuters reported that the administration has detained or attempted to detain several foreign-born students who are legally in the US and have participated in pro-Palestinian protests. These actions have drawn criticism as an attack on free speech, though the Trump administration argues that certain protests are antisemitic and could undermine US foreign policy.
US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated in a post on X that authorities determined Ozturk had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans,” as reported by Reuters.
These two cases are not isolated incidents. Recently, multiple students have been detained. DHS has also faced scrutiny over its efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent Columbia University graduate who holds a green card. Additionally, a US judge in Manhattan on Wednesday blocked immigration officials from detaining Yunseo Chung, a Columbia undergraduate and permanent resident facing deportation threats for participating in Gaza solidarity protests, as reported by The Guardian.
The wave of student detentions has sparked nationwide concern, with civil rights organizations and legal experts warning of its implications for free speech and academic freedom. Protests have erupted on several university campuses, demanding transparency and fairness in immigration enforcement. As legal battles unfold, affected students and advocacy groups continue to challenge the administration’s policies in court.