Brown University Doctor Deported Despite Valid Visa and Court Order

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a nephrologist and assistant professor, was deported to Lebanon after U.S. officials ignored a federal judge's directive to halt her removal.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown Medicine, was deported from the U.S. despite holding a valid H-1B visa and a federal court order blocking her removal.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin had ordered immigration officials to provide 48 hours’ notice before deporting Alawieh, but she was placed on a flight to Paris and then sent to Lebanon.
Colleagues and legal representatives have expressed outrage, citing her deportation as a violation of due process and a potential worsening of the U.S. doctor shortage, particularly in nephrology.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the ACLU have condemned the deportation, raising concerns about systemic discrimination and disregard for judicial authority in immigration enforcement.
A hearing has been scheduled for Monday morning in Boston to address the apparent violation of the court order, with calls for accountability and Alawieh’s return to the United States.