LANSING, Mich. — MSU students tell FOX 47 they hoped the United States would be more inclusive, but instead, they're seeing a regression when it comes to letting immigrants into the country.
"I remember hearing that it was a place for immigrants to come to better their lives," said Uzair Bandagi, a student at MSU.
"The U.S. is founded on diversity, inclusion, and immigration," said another student, Fattima Ali. "What changed this belief? What did we do? Education is so important. Politics shouldn't hinder his education and his purpose and legacy on this earth."
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol detained and deported Alireza Yazdani before he started school at MSU.
The government will only say he was deemed inadmissible and was held until a return flight could be arranged.
Bandagi, who was at the school's rally to protest a potential war with Iran earlier this month, says he's not surprised it happened.
"It's very frustrating but also very predictable. I feel like we've been in this cycle and it requires some big structural changes to the way we treat immigrants and the culture around welcoming new people to this country."
He says the current culture isn't fair to all immigrants.
"People that have these immigrant stories are only successful because they got lucky, but everyone that didn't get as lucky was just as hardworking as them."
Other students agree something needs to be done.
"I guess it is frustrating. There's all this going on and not a lot you can do," said student Jakob Myers.
Bandagi says it won't stop him and his friends from trying to make things right.
"If there's anything we can do to keep the next student from being deported...we're going to take action."
The Graduate Employees Union at MSU said they are hoping to get to welcome Yazdani to the university soon.
"Right now, we're trying to figure out what to do next so that the student could come back and he won't be deported this time and we can actually start the process of inviting them into the MSU community," said Kevin Bird, president of the Graduate Employees Union at MSU.
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