Deportation Controversy Surrounds Brown Medicine Professor

A representation of the legal challenges surrounding immigration cases.

News Summary

Dr. Rasha Alawieh has been deported to Lebanon amid a federal investigation into her removal, raising legal and immigration concerns. Detained at Boston Logan International Airport, U.S. authorities questioned her ties to Hezbollah after discovering related material on her phone. Legal representatives advocate for her rights, while protests have emerged criticizing her treatment during detention. The case highlights broader issues surrounding immigration policies and the experiences of foreign professionals in the U.S.

Boston, Massachusetts

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor at Brown Medicine, has been deported to Lebanon amidst an ongoing federal investigation into her removal. This action triggered immediate legal challenges as a federal judge looks into the complications surrounding her case.

Dr. Alawieh holds a valid H-1B visa, which is essential for her employment in the United States. She was detained for 36 hours at Boston Logan International Airport upon returning from a family visit to Lebanon. During her detention, U.S. authorities raised concerns over her alleged connections to Hezbollah after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials reportedly discovered “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah figures on her phone.

Complicating the situation further, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin had previously established that Alawieh should not be deported without providing 48 hours’ advance notice to the court. However, government lawyers contended that CBP officials were not informed of this court order before Alawieh was placed on a flight to Paris.

Alawieh’s legal representatives assert that the government’s actions constituted a willful disregard of the preceding court order. The case gained momentum following the legal intervention by Alawieh’s cousin, who filed a habeas corpus petition, prompting the court to issue a ruling just prior to her deportation.

Concerns Over Intentions and Political Affiliations

The circumstances surrounding Dr. Alawieh’s deportation raised significant concerns among her colleagues and the healthcare community. During her questioning at the airport, U.S. authorities inquired about her ties to Hezbollah. Although Alawieh acknowledged attending the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while in Lebanon, she maintained that her connections were based on religious, not political, affiliations.

Following her deportation, rallies and protests have emerged, with many advocating for her rights and criticizing the treatment she received during her detention. The legal status of her visa and the implications of her deportation are now a focal point of the inquiry. The next steps in court will involve the government providing a response to the allegations of defying the judge’s order by March 24, while Alawieh’s attorneys are expected to respond by March 31.

Background on Dr. Alawieh

This incident strikes at the heart of broader discussions over immigration policies and the treatment of foreign professionals in the U.S. Dr. Alawieh has lived and worked in the United States for several years, having completed her medical education and fellowships at prestigious medical institutions. She finished her nephrology fellowship in 2020 and has been engaged in research focused on kidney disease, underscoring her substantial contributions to the healthcare field.

CBP emphasized that it is their responsibility to prevent entry to individuals associated with terrorist organizations, and clarified that holding a visa does not guarantee entry into the country. The unfolding legal proceedings will determine the ramifications of Alawieh’s removal, and the continuing criticism from her colleagues reflects an urgent need for fair treatment and compliance with legal protocols in immigration matters.