Addis Abeba — An immigration judge has denied a request to release Dr. Berhanu Kibret, an Ethiopian-born instructor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, keeping him in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention nearly a month after he was arrested at a Texas airport.
Berhanu appeared virtually before the Aurora Immigration Court in Colorado on Friday 14 August for a bond hearing after being held at an immigration detention center in Oklahoma since his arrest at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on July 21, 2026.
Addis Ababa tourism His attorney, Saron Berhe, argued that Berhanu should be released on bond while his immigration case proceeds. However, a ruling issued Monday night denied the request and ordered that he remain in custody, according to The Baltimore Banner.
Discover moreNews subscriptionAfricans & DiasporaGovernment Saron told The Banner that she believed the evidence had not been properly weighed and described the decision as unfounded in light of the overall record. She did not provide a copy of the ruling or further details about the case.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Dr. Berhanu of "overstaying a visa that expired in May 2024". His attorneys and the University of Maryland, however, maintain that he has valid employment authorization and permission to remain in the United States through a separate pending immigration application. DHS had not provided a response to The Banner regarding the judge's ruling at the time of its report.
Berhanu's detention came only days after he was recognized with a Teacher of the Year award by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. He was returning from a professional conference when immigration agents arrested him at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, according to previous reporting.
The case has drawn support from colleagues and university officials who have described Berhanu as a highly regarded teacher and researcher with strong ties to the Maryland academic community.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore has collected letters from current and former colleagues and school leaders in support of his release. According to his attorney, the letters were submitted as character references intended to demonstrate his strong community ties, good moral character and that he does not pose a flight risk. The university has also established a support network to assist him with his needs should he be released.
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Discover moreBusiness newsExecutive BranchInvestigative journalism reports Sarah L.J. Michel, dean of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, told the outlet that the university was disappointed by the decision and remained concerned about Berhanu's welfare. She said the school was continuing to monitor the situation and assess its implications for the coming fall semester and the students he teaches.
Kibret joined the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy as a full-time faculty member in 2023. He teaches first-year pharmacy students about how drugs work in the body, as well as drug safety and efficacy. He had been expected to return to teaching in the fall semester.
The detention has raised concerns within Maryland's academic community, particularly because Berhanu is one of several international academics recently detained by U.S. immigration authorities at airports amid intensified federal immigration enforcement.
The Baltimore Banner reported that no further details of the judge's ruling were immediately available. AS
