Key Takeaways
• Alireza Doroudi’s student visa was revoked in June 2023 with no explanation from U.S. immigration authorities.
• Doroudi spent six weeks detained in Louisiana before choosing self-deportation, despite no crime or security charges presented.
• Over 1,000 international students have recently lost visas, increasing anxiety and fear within U.S. university communities.
Alireza Doroudi’s story is both personal and part of a much larger picture in the world of U.S. immigration. A skilled doctoral student from Iran, Doroudi’s plans for his future changed completely after a series of sudden and hard-to-understand decisions by U.S. immigration officials upended his life. His experiences show the real effects that quick changes in policies and unclear decisions can have—not just on one person, but on entire communities of international students.
How It Began: Arrival and an Unexplained Change
Alireza Doroudi arrived in the United States 🇺🇸 in January 2023. He came on a legal student visa, ready to work towards a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama. Like thousands of other international students, he followed all the steps required to study and live in the country, including registering as a student and maintaining his legal status.
Everything seemed to be going as planned until June 2023, when his visa was suddenly revoked without warning or explanation. This step—known as “visa revocation”—meant, on paper at least, that he was no longer welcome to study, even though no one told him why. Doroudi tried to get clear answers from officials, but received no reply. This lack of information left him in a state of confusion and worry, unsure what he could do next.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, such unexpected visa revocations are becoming more common, leaving many international students in difficult positions. While official rules allow the government to revoke visas at any time, they are usually required to give a clear reason—especially if national security is involved. In Doroudi’s case, no such reason was provided.
The Arrest: A Pre-Dawn Raid and Detention
Things became much more frightening in March 2025. Without warning, armed immigration officers came to Doroudi’s apartment in Alabama and took him into custody. He was not found doing anything illegal. There was no record of crime or even political activism. Doroudi was simply one of many international students swept up as part of President Trump’s broader push to tighten control over who can stay and study in the United States 🇺🇸.
Authorities took Doroudi to a detention center in Jena, Louisiana—over 300 miles from his home and university. The sudden removal from his normal life, far from friends and campus, added to his shock and fear. He found himself waiting for answers, his future now uncertain, and all his studies put on immediate hold.
Government’s Case: No Evidence, Just Hints
The government said Doroudi should be deported for two reasons: his visa was revoked, and he was supposedly not a current student. But right after his arrest, they withdrew the charge about the visa revocation, admitting this type was a “prudential” revocation that only mattered if he left the country. In simple words, this means the government could only stop him from coming back once he was out; revoking the visa did not, by itself, mean he had to be deported right away while inside the United States 🇺🇸.
That left only one other reason to keep him in detention: the claim that he was not an active student. Doroudi’s lawyer quickly offered records and documents to show he was in full compliance, actively studying and not breaking any student visa rules.
Perhaps most troubling was a vague claim that Doroudi was a security risk. Authorities said there were “significant national security concerns” but, throughout the process, never gave any actual proof. No charges were filed for any crime, and nothing specific was ever said in court. For Doroudi and his supporters, this felt especially unfair. He had made efforts to follow every rule as an international student. Instead of clear answers, he was faced with secret arguments and no way to respond or defend himself.
Living Under Pressure: Six Weeks of Waiting
Doroudi spent six weeks in detention while lawyers tried to untangle his case. He did not get out on bond, which meant he had to wait in jail until the case ended. The judge allowed time for more motions but said he could not be released while both sides argued over the details.
Being locked up brought a heavy emotional toll. In messages from jail, Doroudi called his situation “pure injustice.” He wrote about his feeling of doing everything right, yet still losing his freedom and control over his future. He faced a hard choice: keep fighting from inside detention—perhaps for months or longer—or give up and leave the United States 🇺🇸 voluntarily.
His fiancée, Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani, shared how difficult the decision had become. She said, “He told me that if they let him go out, there was a good chance that he would have fought his case for the sake of other students… They just want to make him tired so he can deport himself.” Her words point to a pressure many feel: the longer someone is held, the more they might consider leaving, even if the case against them is weak.
Forced to Choose: Stay and Wait, or Leave It All Behind
In the end, Doroudi chose to self-deport, or leave the country on his own rather than stay locked up with little hope of release. The choice was not made out of guilt or wrongdoing, but because of the stress and fear that indefinite detention creates. He worried that fighting his case from inside detention could last many more months, possibly years, with no clear sign of success.
Leaving on his own allowed Doroudi to avoid a permanent ban on reentering the country in the future. Had he been officially deported at the end of a lengthy process, he might have faced serious restrictions on ever returning to the United States 🇺🇸. By choosing self-deportation, he at least kept the door slightly open for possible future opportunities.
But this decision also meant ending his studies, leaving his friends, and closing the book on the academic and personal life he had built. As his fiancée put it, “All the dreams… we had with each other” were now lost, at least for the time being.
What Doroudi’s Experience Reveals: Sudden Change, Real Consequences
While Alireza Doroudi’s story is unique, many international students across the country face similar pressures. In recent months, over 1,000 international students have lost their visas or legal status because of stronger enforcement actions. These actions often come swiftly and with little explanation or chance for the students to respond.
The University of Alabama’s Iranian student community described a new atmosphere of constant fear. Many students now avoid normal activities, worrying that even a simple talk with authorities could lead to detention. Doctors and counselors have noted that students are suffering from higher levels of anxiety, sleep issues, and even declining health.
The message is clear: even students who carefully follow all rules can find themselves suddenly facing detention, visa revoked, and possible removal. As well, the risk that evidence against them will be weak or missing entirely is a source of extra stress.
Legal and Ethical Questions: Is This Fair?
Even among experienced immigration lawyers, Doroudi’s case stands out. His lawyer called the process “a travesty of justice.” The legal arguments for detaining or deporting him grew weaker as time went on. The government stopped pushing its first theory (about the visa revoked status) but still held him on the second (student status), even while strong evidence showed he was meeting requirements.
There is also the troubling fact that “national security concerns” were raised, yet no facts or proof were ever offered. This approach—hinting at possible wrongdoing without making any clear claims—makes it nearly impossible for someone like Doroudi to defend himself. It sets a concerning example for other international students: strict rules may be followed, but unclear accusations can still lead to life-changing consequences.
The Bigger Picture: Impact on International Students and U.S. Education
Actions like those taken in Doroudi’s case can have a chilling effect on international education in the United States 🇺🇸. For decades, U.S. universities have welcomed students from all over the world. These students bring new ideas and help build strong connections between countries. But stories like Doroudi’s may push top students to choose other countries for their studies, worried that their visas could be revoked at any time, or that detention and removal could happen without warning.
There are already early signs of this happening—students are thinking twice about coming to the United States 🇺🇸, and some are moving to schools in other countries where they feel more secure. VisaVerge.com’s investigation reveals that the broader trend of sudden enforcement actions is shifting where bright minds want to travel and invest their energy.
For universities, the loss is more than just numbers. The experience and cultural perspectives international students bring to classrooms are difficult to replace. There is also a financial impact—international students pay higher tuition, help support university programs, and contribute to local communities. When such students see stories like Doroudi’s, it may create long-term damage to the country’s image as a welcoming place for those seeking to learn and grow.
Current Laws and Guidance
U.S. immigration law allows for visa revocation and removal, but it also gives people a chance to challenge unfair decisions. When someone is accused of breaking visa terms or of being a security risk, clear proof is supposed to be shown, and the person has a right to defend themselves.
You can read more about these rules and how removal proceedings work at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, which offers an overview of the rights of non-citizens during immigration actions.
What Comes Next: Lessons from Alireza Doroudi’s Case
Alireza Doroudi’s case leaves important lessons for others in the immigration system:
- Even those following every rule can face sudden enforcement.
- Detention and lack of clear evidence make it incredibly hard to defend oneself.
- Pressure to self-deport can push people into “voluntarily” leaving, even if the case against them is weak.
- The impact spreads far beyond one person—it touches families, friendships, schools, and the wider student community.
For officials, policy-makers, and university leaders, Doroudi’s experience highlights the need for clear communication, fair processes, and real support for international students. The United States 🇺🇸 has always promised opportunity for those willing to work and learn; upholding those values requires not just words, but careful actions when someone’s future hangs in the balance.
Doroudi’s decision to self-deport, after weeks in detention and with no proof of wrongdoing against him, stands as a reminder of how the human side of immigration often gets lost in the debate over rules and security. His story shows why fairness, transparency, and compassion remain so important in every immigration case.
For more official, up-to-date information on student visas and general immigration procedures, you may visit the USCIS Student Visa page for guidance and forms.
As students, universities, and families consider their next steps, the hope is that stories like Alireza Doroudi’s will lead to more open and balanced policies in the future—so that passionate, rule-following students do not have their dreams placed on hold or ended by sudden and unexplained decisions.
Learn Today
Visa Revocation → Official cancellation of a previously approved visa, rendering the holder’s stay in the country unlawful.
Self-Deportation → A voluntary decision to leave the country instead of waiting for a formal government deportation order.
Prudential Revocation → A visa cancellation that only takes effect when the person exits the country, not while inside the U.S.
Detention Center → A government facility where individuals are held while awaiting immigration or deportation proceedings.
National Security Concerns → Claims by authorities that someone may pose a risk to the country’s safety, often used to justify strict immigration action.
This Article in a Nutshell
Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian doctoral student, suffered sudden visa revocation and detention without clear cause. His experience reveals that abrupt, unexplained immigration actions can derail lives and careers. Increasing visa revocations impact international students nationwide, eroding trust and deterring future enrollment in U.S. universities. Rules alone cannot guarantee security or fairness.
— By VisaVerge.com
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