ICE Detains University of Oklahoma โคProfessor With Valid H-1B Visa
WASHINGTON D.C. – Immigration and Customs Enforcement โค(ICE) detained Vahid Abedini, a professor at the University of Oklahoma’s Boren College ofโข International Studies, on November 22nd as he attempted toโค board a flight to Washington, D.C. โfor a Middle East Studiesโ Association conference. The detention has raised โconcerns about the agency’s โขincreased enforcement efforts under new funding legislation.
Abedini possesses a โvalid H-1Bโค visa, a non-immigrantโค work โvisa for individuals in “specialty occupations,” including higher educationโฃ faculty, according toโฃ his colleague, Joshua Landis, a professor of Middle East Studies โat the โUniversity of Oklahoma.
“He has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa,” Landis stated in a postโ on X. “he is very pro-America,โค let me just make โthat clear. He loves America.”
As of late Monday,ICE’s online detainee locator listed Abedini in ICE custody,identifying his birthplace as Iran but not disclosing his currentโ location. A friendโ of Abedini’s,who requested anonymity,told HuffPost she spoke with him Monday and he was in immigration custody,and “seems to be in good spirits,” with accessโฃ to basic necessities.
The detentionโ comes as ICE prepares to significantly expand enforcement operations following the deployment of newly trained agents nationwide. This โexpansion is fueled by โฃthe “one Big Beautiful โBill Act,” signed into law in July,which allocates $45 billion to increase ICE detention capacity to nearly 100,000 beds,$14 billion for โขtransportation and removal operations,and $8 billion toโ hire 10,000 new deportation officers.
Landis stated that abedini’s case is currently under review byโ legal counsel.
The University โof Oklahoma has declined to comment onโข the situation.
This story was updated on November โ25, 2025, at 2:00 a.m.ET to include additional information.