Rhode Island Doctor Deported to Lebanon Despite Federal Judge’s Order

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist with a valid H-1B visa, was deported in defiance of a court injunction, raising legal and ethical concerns.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a nephrologist and assistant professor at Brown Medicine, was deported to Lebanon despite possessing a valid H-1B visa and a federal court order blocking her removal.
Judge Leo Sorokin had ordered U.S. officials to provide 48 hours' notice before moving Alawieh out of Massachusetts, but she was placed on a flight to Paris en route to Lebanon on Friday night.
Alawieh's deportation has sparked outrage among her colleagues, who emphasize her critical role in addressing the U.S. shortage of kidney transplant specialists and the potential implications for other visa-holding medical professionals.
The judge has demanded a detailed response from the government by Monday morning, including preservation of all documents related to Alawieh's detention and removal, citing possible contempt of court.
Advocacy groups, including the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have condemned the deportation, calling it a violation of due process and an alarming precedent for lawful immigrants.