TUSCALOOSA, Ala (WIAT) – University of Alabama students are expressing their opinions following the detainment of UA doctoral student Alireza Doroudi.

ICE detained the Iran national off-campus Tuesday morning. He’s being held in the Pickens County Jail for the meanwhile.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear that this happened to a UA student. My prayers go out to him and is family,” UA student Samantha Lim said.

Doroudi’s fiancée, Sama Ebrahimi Baigani, started a GoFundMe to help cover the legal costs. The international student is being represented by Rozas and Associates based out of Louisiana, Baigani said.

“I’m not going to comment on his case, but I am going to fight for him and do the best I can for him to be released and back to me,” Baigani said.

Rozas Associates cannot provide comment at this time the law firm said. However, the Department of Homeland Security provided INTERNEWSCAST News with this statement Thursday evening:

“ICE HSI made this arrest in accordance with the State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa. This individual posed significant national security concerns.”

However, those who know Doroudi describe him as a smart, kind man with a strong work ethic.

“If something like this can happen to such a hardworking and harmless student – it makes us all wonder if it could happen to anyone,” said Sam Saberi, a friend of Doroudi and his fiancée.

“Alireza’s fiancée is extremely worried, and the entire international student community is confused and unsettled,” Saberi added.

Brady Engel is an undergraduate student at UA who began working alongside Doroudi last semester.

“I know he’s extremely smart and hardworking,” Engel said.

A lot of the students who worked alongside Doroudi are also studying at the University on a student visa.

“This whole situation has everyone distraught,” Engel said. “It has seriously impacted an amazing community of people.”

UA student Liam Kinnaird lives with international students who are from the United Kingdom.

“They were really concerned about it,” Kinnaird said. “I didn’t know what to think about it, honestly.”

However, The UA Republicans’ Vice Chair Luke Mintz said the organization supports the agency’s arrest.

“They’re just doing their job,” Mintz said. “If they arrested him, they have good reason to.”

Mintz talked with INTERNEWSCAST News hours before ICE HSI released reason for Doroudi’s arrest.

Prior to the ICE HSI’s statement, The UA College Democrats posted on social media:

“As far as we know right now, ICE is yet to provide any justification for their actions, so we are not sure if this persecution is politically motivated, as has been seen in other universities across the country.”

The President over UA’s democratic organization, Braden Vick, urges the University to take a stronger stance on Doroudi’s arrest.

“Get him free of ICE custody,” Vick said. “The University has a job to protect their students, even if that threat is from a governmental organization.”

However, UA’s Republican organization disagrees – to some extent.

“The University has a job to protect their students, and that would best be accomplished by supporting ICE and supporting federal institutions,” Mintz said.

ICE’s actions have rattled the international community on UA’s campus, and many are hopeful for a positive outcome.

“We hope this misunderstanding is resolved soon so he can return and continue his research,” Saberi said.