In a developing situation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has provided clarification regarding the recent deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese doctor, over the weekend despite her holding a valid U.S. visa. Officials noted that Dr. Alawieh had “openly admitted” her support for a Hezbollah leader and had attended his funeral. This revelation has come against a backdrop of growing concerns, especially since a federal judge had issued an order to prevent her deportation before a court hearing could occur. However, governmental lawyers cited that the decision had already been executed before the customs officials received the judge’s order.
According to Homeland Security, holding a visa is a form of privilege rather than an absolute right, and advocating for groups or individuals involved in actions against the U.S. can be sufficient grounds for visa denial. This instance is part of a larger series of deportations involving foreign nationals holding U.S. visas, including Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. Khalil faced visa revocation after his involvement in protests against the Gaza conflict, echoing a string of deportations during the same period despite judicial orders attempting to halt such actions.
Dr. Alawieh’s legal representative Stephanie Marzouk remains committed to seeking her client’s return to the United States, determining that her rightful place is with her patients. Alawieh, 34, was notably poised to serve at Brown University as an assistant professor of medicine prior to her abrupt removal. The Justice Department further elaborated in court documents, now sealed, the underlying reasons for Alawieh’s deportation—citing photos on her phone of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah and other affiliate symbols. Alawieh reportedly explained her interest as purely spiritual and religious, devoid of political affiliations.
Documentation revealed that Dr. Alawieh’s visa was approved in March, shortly before her arrival at Boston Logan International Airport. The visa enabled her to join the medical faculty at Brown, where she holds a clinical appointment. Despite fulfilling various fellowships and residencies across the U.S., her return was cut short by an overnight detention exceeding 36 hours, culminating in her return to Lebanon, despite a federal judge’s order to facilitate her presence in a U.S. court. Government attorneys have since petitioned to dismiss the subsequent legal challenges due to procedural unawareness at the time of her departure.
In a visible show of support, colleagues and supporters have gathered for a peaceful demonstration in Boston, emphasizing her critical role in Rhode Island’s healthcare system as one of the few nephrologists specializing in transplants. Her peers express concerns over the void left in local medical services and assert their public call for resolution. At the Rhode Island Statehouse, demonstrators rallied in sympathy, advocating her rights with emphatic messages amid inclement weather.
In a parallel judicial case, advocates are also petitioning for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University doctoral candidate, from detention in Louisiana. His attorneys argue that the U.S. immigration response creates an alarming precedent for noncitizens engaging in politically sensitive discourse, alluding to potential repression of free speech rights. They underscore the risks facing Khalil and others based on political expression and demand judicial reconsideration.
This ongoing narrative highlights multifaceted legal, social, and political implications tied to U.S. immigration and homeland security practices, stirring emotions across various communities directly affected by these policies.
