Brown University Professor Deported Despite Federal Court Order

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist with a valid H-1B visa, was removed from the U.S. after CBP allegedly disregarded a judge's directive delaying her deportation.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese citizen employed by Brown University, was detained at Boston Logan Airport on March 13 upon returning from a family visit to Lebanon.
Despite holding a valid H-1B visa and a federal judge's order requiring 48 hours' notice before deportation, she was deported to Lebanon on March 15 via France.
Customs and Border Protection cited national security concerns, alleging her phone contained deleted materials linked to Hezbollah and that she attended a funeral for its leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The federal judge overseeing her case accused CBP of potentially willful disobedience and has postponed a hearing to March 25 for the government to explain its actions.
Brown University and her legal team have emphasized her critical role as a kidney transplant specialist and expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in her detention and removal.