Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained University of Oklahoma assistant professor Vahid Abedini at an airport while he was boarding a flight to attend an academic conference and then released him days later. Colleagues say Abedini holds an H‑1B visa; the university and the Middle East Studies Association pressed for his release and publicized the episode on social platforms. The incident was documented in faculty statements and a LinkedIn post by Abedini describing his relief at being released; the Department of Homeland Security characterized the stop as "standard questioning." University hiring paperwork and visa paperwork were cited by colleagues as being in order. Faculty leaders and national associations warned the arrest underscores growing anxiety among international scholars and may further discourage conference travel and recruitment of foreign academics to U.S. campuses. Legal and immigration experts told campus outlets that detaining a visa holder during routine travel is "not typical," raising questions about protections for sponsored faculty and their institutions.