A University of Alabama student was detained by immigration officials and held in a rural Alabama jail this week.

Court records Thursday showed that Alireza Doroudi, a mechanical engineering doctoral student originally from Iran, was being held at the Pickens County Jail in Alabama.

AL.com contacted Doroudi’s attorney, David Rozas, but Rozas’s office said he could not comment on the case at this time.

Rozas is a criminal and immigration lawyer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

No formal charge was listed in court records on Thursday. Doroudi previously had a speeding ticket in Tuscaloosa County.

Public records indicate that Doroudi had lived in an apartment in downtown Tuscaloosa since 2023. The property manager for his apartment did not respond to a request for comment from AL.com.

The University of Alabama enrolled about 1,200 international students in the fall 2024 semester, according to a recent report, and 90 of those students were from Iran. Across Alabama, about 9,000 international students were enrolled at different universities, according to the Alabama Council on Higher Education.

Why was Alireza Doroudi detained?

We don’t know a reason right now. Public records from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement do not detail any specifics.

What is the University of Alabama saying?

A spokesperson for the university confirmed on Wednesday that a doctoral student had been detained off campus by federal immigration authorities, but declined to name the student, citing privacy protections.

What are other people saying?

The National Iranian American Council, an advocacy organization, issued a statement March 27.

“We are deeply disturbed by the arrest of Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, by ICE agents. At a minimum, ICE must make his whereabouts known and make clear if he has been charged with any crime. If not, he should be immediately released,” the organization wrote.

University of Alabama College Democrats also issued a statement.

“Donald Trump, [ICE Acting Director] Tom Homan and ICE have struck a cold vicious dagger through the heart of UA’s international community,” the organization wrote. “As far as we know right now, ICE is yet to provide any justification for their actions, so wea re not sure if this persecution is politically motivated as has been seen in other universities across the country.”

What happens next in the immigration or deportation process?

People picked up in Alabama in connection to an immigration charge typically are held in a local jail for a few days and then transported to Louisiana for processing.

What should international students know about immigration enforcement?

Immigration rules are complicated and students should research their university’s policies and any updated state or federal guidelines.

University of Alabama guidelines for international student orientation say that students may have an expired visa as long as they maintain their studies. The school’s International Students and Scholars Service supports people on F-1 and J-1 visas.

AL.com contacted the ISSS office who directed comments to the university’s communications office.

ICE agents may be in public spaces on university campuses. They typically need a warrant in order to enter private spaces, such as a home or residence hall.