A University of Oklahoma assistant professor, Vahid Abedini, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement while boarding a flight to the Middle East Studies Association conference in Washington, D.C., and later released—a flashpoint for faculty worried about conference travel and visa scrutiny. Colleagues said Abedini held a valid H‑1B visa and was hired after a thorough vetting process; the Department of Homeland Security described the incident as "standard questioning." The episode has circulated widely in academic circles, prompting renewed calls for institutions to provide contingency support and to press for clearer federal guidance. For international faculty and scholars, the case underscores elevated risks to academic mobility and conference participation under current enforcement practices.