Overview

• Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born Harvard researcher, was charged with smuggling frog embryos into the U.S., a felony carrying up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
• Federal prosecutors allege Petrova knowingly failed to declare the biological samples, citing text messages from colleagues advising her to obtain proper permissions.
• Petrova’s J-1 visa was revoked upon her February detention at Boston Logan Airport, and she has since been held in ICE custody in Louisiana while contesting deportation.
• The U.S. government intends to deport Petrova to Russia, despite her asylum claim citing past political persecution for anti-war activism and fears of imprisonment.
• Her detention has disrupted critical aging and cancer research at Harvard, as colleagues warn the case may deter international scientists from working in the U.S.