University of Oklahoma professor Vahid Abedini was detained by ICE while boarding a flight to an academic conference and later released — a case colleagues say involved an H‑1B visa and has stoked concerns about immigration enforcement at scholarly gatherings. The Middle East studies community and the hiring university mobilised for his release and called the episode “deeply distressing.” Scholars and associations warned the arrest could chill international collaboration and conference travel, especially for foreign‑born faculty and those in politically sensitive fields. Universities and academic networks are reassessing travel protocols and legal supports in light of the incident.