India, Aug. 1 -- A Johns Hopkins University researcher from Cameroon with a valid US work authorization until 2029 has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sparking concern among academics and immigration advocates amid an apparent expansion of airport arrests targeting visa overstayers.

Fatima Ameaka, a researcher at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, was arrested by ICE officers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Tuesday while travelling for personal reasons, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

DHS said Ameaka had overstayed a visa that expired on June 13, 2024, and would remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

"In violation of our nation's l...