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University of Maryland Instructor Detained by ICE at Texas Airport Over Expired Visa
Just the facts
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Kibret entered the United States on June 21, 2021, on a visa that expired on May 31, 2024. Kibret, who completed his education in Ethiopia before finishing a postdoctoral fellowship at William Paterson University in New Jersey, remains in federal custody pending immigration proceedings. University of Maryland officials stated that Kibret possesses valid work authorization and expressed hope for a swift resolution to his legal status. Kibret's academic research at the university focuses on how the brain's cannabinoid system affects mental health, neurological disease, and drug addiction.
Why this is news
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained University of Maryland School of Pharmacy instructor Berhanu Kibret at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. The arrest occurred as Kibret was returning from an American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy meeting where he received a teacher of the year award.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.