University of Maryland ‘teacher of the year’ detained by ICE in Texas
DHS said pharmacy instructor Berhanu Kibret overstayed visa and arrested him at Dallas-Fort Worth airport
TL;DR
- Berhanu Kibret, a University of Maryland pharmacy instructor and "teacher of the year" award winner, was detained by ICE at Dallas-Fort Worth airport.
- DHS confirmed the arrest, stating Kibret overstayed his visa, which was set to expire in May 2024.
- The University of Maryland expressed distress over the arrest, emphasizing Kibret's valued contributions and valid work authorization.
- Kibret's research focuses on the cannabinoid system's influence on mental health and brain disease.
- This incident is similar to the recent detention and subsequent release of a Johns Hopkins researcher, Fatima Ameaka, who also had a pending asylum case.
- Critics argue that such arrests contradict the Trump administration's pledge to focus on criminal aliens, citing a Guardian analysis showing many first-time deportation proceedings involved individuals without convictions.