An instructor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, who recently received a 'teacher of the year' award, has been arrested by federal immigration agents under the Trump administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Berhanu Kibret, an instructor at the university's pharmacy school, at Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas, according to multiple news reports. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, confirmed Kibret's arrest, citing an expired visa, but did not provide a location.
Arrest details
In a statement, the University of Maryland said Kibret was arrested while returning from a meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, where he received the 'teacher of the year' award. The university added: 'Dr Kibret has a valid work authorization, so it is our hope that any issues surrounding his status will be quickly resolved and that he will be permitted to continue his work at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy,' according to CBS.
Kibret's research focuses on how the brain's cannabinoid system influences mental health, brain disease, and the effects of addictive drugs, according to the university's website. He obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in science as well as a PhD in Ethiopia, and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.
University response
Calling Kibret a 'highly valued member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore community', the school said it was 'greatly troubled' by his arrest. The university added: 'He is an effective and beloved teacher, and a highly regarded colleague. His detention has generated not only great sympathy for his plight, but also a heightened sense of apprehension here on campus.'
In a statement to the Guardian, the DHS said ICE arrested Kibret after he entered the US on 21 June 2021 on a visa set to expire on 31 May 2024. 'Against our nation's laws, he overstayed his visa and failed to depart,' the DHS statement said. 'He will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings.'
Context and criticism
Arrests such as Kibret's have drawn criticism, particularly in light of the Trump administration's repeated pledge to focus on targeting the 'worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens' for arrest and deportation. A Guardian analysis published in February found that 77% of people placed into deportation proceedings for the first time after Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025 had no criminal convictions.
Kibret's arrest came after ICE in July detained and later released a Johns Hopkins researcher at the Baltimore/Washington international airport. Federal authorities detained Fatima Ameaka, a Cameroonian citizen with a doctorate in pharmacy who works at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Speaking to several outlets during Ameaka's detention, a Johns Hopkins spokesperson described her as a 'respected member of our community'. 'The university understands the fear and concern this instills in members of our community,' the spokesperson added. 'Dr Ameaka was traveling in a personal capacity, and though we cannot comment on the specifics of her situation, we want to assure our community that the university is actively working to provide support for Dr Ameaka, including ensuring she has access to legal representation.'
Documents reviewed by ABC indicated that Ameaka held a work authorization valid through 2029 and had a pending asylum case. Nonetheless, as ABC reported, the DHS had initially said of Ameaka: 'In violation of our nation's laws, she overstayed her visa. She will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.' Ameaka's attorney on Sunday confirmed that she had been released from ICE detention.
