BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A Heartbreaking Departure: Iranian Student Alireza Doroudi Returns Home Amidst Immigration Controversy
"I love this country, but they don’t want me here so I will go home," expressed Alireza Doroudi as he returned to Iran after a harrowing immigration ordeal. The 30-year-old doctoral student from the University of Alabama was detained by federal immigration agents approximately a month prior, labeled a national security threat, and held in a Louisiana detention facility while his case was pursued in immigration court.
On June 1, 2025, Doroudi’s attorney, David Rozas, confirmed his client’s voluntary departure and criticized the U.S. immigration system for failing to uphold principles of fairness and due process. Despite no evidence substantiating the national security claims against Doroudi and documentation that affirmed the validity of his F-1 student visa, he was denied bond and faced protracted delays in legal proceedings.
During a May 8 hearing, Judge Maithe Gonzalez ruled that the primary charge of visa revocation would not apply to Doroudi while in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security even noted their intention to drop the charge, yet the court postponed any decisive action, leaving Doroudi at the mercy of an uncertain process.
Doroudi’s decision to leave serves as a stark warning about the implications of detaining individuals without credible evidence. Rozas emphasized the chilling message this sends to international students and immigrant communities: “This was not justice. This was attrition by detention."
As Doroudi embarks on his life in Iran, Rozas remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for Doroudi’s distressing experience. The case raises serious questions about fairness within the American immigration system and the treatment of individuals striving for educational and professional contributions in the U.S.
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