Yousof Azizi, a PhD candidate in Public Administration & Policy at Virginia Tech (SPIA) and a media personality with hundreds of appearances on BBC Persian, has been detained by ICE—despite having no issues with his visa status. He was taken in front of his home, has not yet been allowed to meet his lawyers, and ICE is now discussing transferring him to a detention centre in Louisiana. Given there is zero issue with his paperwork, this raises serious questions about whether the detention is politically motivated. Azizi has been one of the few voices in the BBC Persian media sphere openly opposing war and sanctions on Iran.

Yousof is a devoted father of two young children and an active member of his community. His family and friends are deeply concerned about his well-being and the uncertainty surrounding his case.

At this time, there are limited publicly confirmed details about the reasons for his detention. Like anyone in this situation, Yousof deserves due process, access to legal representation, and a fair review of his case.

This fundraiser is to support:

Legal expenses

Family support during this time

Advocacy and outreach efforts

Any contribution, no matter the size, will help ensure Yousof has the resources he needs during this difficult period.

Please use this site to send a letter to representatives, it takes 30 seconds! bit.ly/freeyousof

Please consider sharing this campaign to raise awareness.

#FreeYousofAzizi