The arrest of Professor Berhanu Kibret, a member of the University of Maryland (UMD) and recently recognized as Professor of the Year, has generated concern within the country's academic environment, after he was arrested by agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) when he tried to board a flight at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

According to information released by CBS Baltimore and an official statement from the university, the academic, originally from Ethiopia, was returning from a conference organized by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, where he had just received recognition for his teaching career.

The DHS version and the defense of the university

The University of Maryland assured that the researcher had a valid work authorization and expressed confidence that the situation could be resolved quickly.

"Dr. Kibret has a valid work authorization, so we hope that any issues related to his situation will be resolved quickly," the institution said in a statement.

However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintained a different version. In statements reported by the aforementioned media, the agency reported that the professor entered the United States on June 21, 2021 with a visa whose validity ended on May 31, 2024 and that he remained in the country after the authorized period.

The agency added that the academic will remain in ICE custody while he faces his immigration process.

Arrests increase at US airports

The case of Berhanu Kibret is not isolated. In recent weeks, more immigration detentions have been reported at US airports, amid greater coordination between ICE and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

One of the most recent cases was that of Fatima Ameaka, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, arrested on July 28 at the Baltimore-Washington airport. According to DHS, he also stayed in the country longer than his visa allowed. Days later she was released while she awaits the resolution of her case before an immigration court.

The recent arrests have caused concern among educational institutions and civil organizations, which warn about the impact that these actions could have on foreign researchers, teachers and students who carry out academic activities in the country.

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