Iranian studies professor Vahid Abedini, lawfully in the U.S., was detained by ICE at airport despite no criminal record.

Vahid Abedini, a University of Oklahoma Iranian studies professor with a valid H-1B visa, was detained by ICE on November 22, 2025, while boarding a flight to a Washington, D.C., conference. Despite legal status and no criminal record, he was held for several days before being released. The incident, part of broader immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, has sparked concern among academics and civil rights advocates over the impact on international scholars and academic freedom.