US immigration authorities have detained a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, campus officials confirmed on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the state’s flagship university said in a brief statement that a student was arrested “off campus” by federal immigration officials, but declined to comment further, citing privacy laws.
The US government’s justification for detaining the student was not immediately clear, and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) did not respond to a request for comment late on Wednesday.
News of the arrest comes amid reports of the Trump administration increasingly targeting college students for arrest and deportation across the country, including people in the US on visas and permanent residents with green cards, raising alarms on campuses and in surrounding communities.
Advertisement
The Crimson White, a student newspaper at the University of Alabama, reported on the arrest, saying the targeted student was detained at their home early on Tuesday morning. The individual is Iranian and was in the US on a student visa and studying mechanical engineering, the newspaper said. The university’s College Democrats group said in a statement that Trump and Ice “have struck a cold, vicious dagger through the heart of UA’s international community”.
It was not immediately clear on Wednesday evening if the arrested student had a lawyer.
Alex House, a university spokesperson, said its international student and scholar services center was available to assist students with concerns: “International students studying at the university are valued members of the campus community.”
But House’s statement added that the university “has and will continue to follow all immigration laws and cooperate with federal authorities”.
The Alabama arrest was confirmed the same day news broke that Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University in Boston, was detained by federal immigration agents and taken to an Ice detention center in Louisiana. Her arrest appeared to be part of the US government’s crackdown on students with ties to pro-Palestinian activism on campus last year.
Advertisement
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Ozturk was in the US on a visa and accused her of supporting Hamas, but did not provide evidence to support its claims. Media reports noted that Ozturk, a Fulbright scholar and Turkish citizen, had in March 2024 co-written an opinion piece in the Tufts student newspaper, alongside three other authors, supporting calls for the university to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide”.
skip past newsletter promotion
after newsletter promotion
Ozturk’s arrest has sparked widespread outrage as video circulated showing masked officers, in plainclothes, approaching her on the street and taking her into custody. A 32-year-old software engineer whose surveillance camera recorded the arrest told the Associated Press it “looked like a kidnapping”.
Advertisement
The Massachusetts director of Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim civil rights group, said in a statement: “We unequivocally condemn the abduction of a young Muslim hijab-wearing scholar by masked federal agents in broad daylight. This alarming act of repression is a direct assault on free speech and academic freedom.”
Ozturk’s lawyer told the New York Times she was heading out to break her Ramadan fast with friends when she was detained near her apartment.
Tufts’s president said the university “had no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event”. The university was told the student’s visa was “terminated”, the president added.
Ice records suggested Ozturk was taken to Louisiana despite a judge ordering DHS to give advanced notice if officials sought to transfer her out of state.
DHS has also faced scrutiny over its efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent Columbia graduate, who is a green card holder. A US judge in Manhattan on Wednesday blocked immigration officials from detaining Yunseo Chung, a Columbia undergraduate, who is also a permanent resident facing threats of deportation for involvement in Gaza solidarity protests.
The No. 9 Oklahoma baseball team just needed one more two-run inning to give themselves a chance.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, OU fell to No. 11 Alabama in the third game of a three-game series on Sunday, 8-6, allowing the Crimson Tide to take the set and push themselves a game in front of Oklahoma in the Southeastern Conference standings.
The series loss, Oklahoma’s first in league play since joining the SEC, nearly ended up a series win after a furious rally. OU trailed 8-2 entering the seventh inning when its bats came alive. Kyle Branch scored on a fielder’s choice and Brayden Horton hit an RBI single to pull two runs back. In the eighth, Dayton Tockey smacked a two-run home run to make things interesting.
Advertisement
Then the rain hit – for the second time – and the game was put on hold for about a half-hour. But with the rain leaving, so did the Sooners bats. Alabama closer Carson Ozmer retired Dasan Harris, Jason Walk and Horon in order to finish off the Tide victory.
The Sooners rued their missed opportunities. OU left two runners in scoring position in the first inning and another two in scoring position in the eighth. They also committed two errors in Alabama’s three-run fourth inning.
Meanwhile, Alabama jumped on Oklahoma starter Malachi Witherspoon. He was tagged for all eight runs – though just five earned – on seven hits, a walk and three hit batters in five innings. OU’s bullpen gave up just two more baserunners over the final three innings, but it was too late.
In addition to Hockey’s home run, Jason Walk also went yard. His inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning made the game 8-2. He finished 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs. Jaxon Willits and Sam Christiansen each went 2 for 4 with a run, while Willits added an RBI and a stolen base.
Oklahoma is back on the field at in Tuesday in Frisco, Texas, for a one-off game against former Big 12 rival Texas Tech. SEC play picks back up Thursday through Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park against LSU.
Alabama football scored its biggest class of 2026 recruiting win last week, when Jorden Edmonds committed to UA. Edmonds is a five-star cornerback in the upcoming class, and chose the Tide over the likes of Tennessee and Georgia, with Maurice Linguist as his primary recruiter for Alabama.
Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked about Linguist’s recruiting prowess on Wednesday.
“He’s phenomenal,” DeBoer said. “He’s just a guy in the building, first of all, that brings just good juice and energy, and he’s a pleasure to be around. If you’re the head coach, a staff member, and then that is certainly seen by our players and felt by our players.
“And then in the recruiting process, I just think he’s attractive for a parent, for their son to want to come here and be coached, because they’re cared for, they’re loved, they’re taught at an extremely high level. He does just such a great job in all those ways.”
Advertisement
Alabama recently rewarded Linguist with a two-year contract extension and a raise. He joined the Crimson Tide when DeBoer was building a staff last year, leaving a head coach job at Buffalo.
Linguist took over a cornerbacks group that had been decimated by the NFL Draft and transfer portal, losing Kool-Aid McKinstry, Terrion Arnold and Trey Amos among others.
DeBoer mentioned how well he felt Linguist dealt with the 2025 Crimson Tide.
“We really had only one, if I remember right, one scholarship corner a year ago returning from the season before, and played a lot of young guys, new guys,” DeBoer said. “Domani (Jackson) wasn’t necessarily a freshman, but new guys to the program, and so developed confidence. Now that room, all of a sudden, has got a high ceiling, but we’ve created a lot of depth there.”
The young group at defensive back is a year older, with players like Bray Hubbard, Zabien Brown, Zay Mincey and Red Morgan set to take another step forward. Keon Sabb is back, along with Jackson, and Linguist has another talented group of freshmen to work with, including Dijon Lee and Chuck McDonald.
Advertisement
The 2026 recruiting class already included Gadsden City’s Zyan Gibson at corner, meaning Linguist is responsible for picking up the class’ top two prospects so far.
“Tt’s personality mixed with ability and the want to,” DeBoer said of what makes Linguist successful. “He’s a guy with a lot of drive, and he’s got a high expectation, so he gets after them. But it’s some tough love that he brings, and they appreciate that, because they want the same thing as he does, it’s to be their best.”
Alabama continues spring practice through April 12’s A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. A-Day will not be a game this year, and won’t be televised, though admission is free.
Ben Verbrugge is a freelance sportswriter with a journalism degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. He is a member of the Los Angeles media and spends most of his time covering the NBA, NFL, and MLB. When not writing, he is either playing or watching sports.
Ben Verbrugge
Contributing Sports Network
Advertisement
news article
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Share
✓ Link copied to clipboard!
Advertisement
The No. 2 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (28-8) and the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils (34-3) will meet on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament Elite 8.
Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles up court against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of a Sweet Sixteen game in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament at Prudential Center on March… Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles up court against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of a Sweet Sixteen game in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament at Prudential Center on March 27, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lance King
How to Watch Alabama Crimson Tide vs Duke Blue Devils:
Date: Saturday, Mar. 29, 2025
Time: 8:49 PM ET
Channel: TBS, truTV
Stream: Sling (watch)
Duke had been dominating in the tournament, winning their first two games by 67 points combined. However, they played a much closer game in the Sweet 16, beating Arizona 100-93. This will be the toughest test yet for the Blue Devils, going against an Alabama team that is also hot.
The Crimson Tide is coming off a 113-88 win over BYU, and they will have to put up a lot of points once again to keep up with Duke. Alabama leads the NCAA in points per game, averaging 91.4 this season, and they will likely have to score close to 100 to advance to the Final Four.
Cooper Flagg is the big star in this game, and the future number one overall pick in the NBA draft is fresh off a 30-point, seven-assist, three-block performance. Flagg is starting to heat up, and no player is more capable of taking over this tournament than the Duke freshman.
Mark Sears will look to at least match Flagg’s production on the offensive end. Sears has plenty of experience in big games and is also coming off a massive night in the Sweet 16. He led his team with 34 points and eight assists on 10-16 shooting from beyond the arc.
Advertisement
WATCH: Alabama vs Duke live on Sling
The winner of this game will move on to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament and will face either No. 1 seed Houston or No. 2 seed Tennessee. Every game matters now, and both teams know what is on the line in this win-or-go-home matchup. There is never a more exciting time in college basketball than March Madness, so tune in to catch all the drama and potential upsets.
Live stream Alabama vs Duke: Start your subscription now!
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
