A federal judge in Vermont decided on Wednesday to release a Russian-born scientist affiliated with Harvard University from immigration detention. She faces a criminal charge related to the alleged smuggling of frog embryos into the United States. Her colleagues and peers in the academic community have spoken in her defense, highlighting the significance of Kseniia Petrova’s research in advancing cancer treatment.
Michael West, a scientist with expertise in the biotech sector, testified to the excellence of Petrova’s scientific work. Although he does not know her personally, he praised her published research, including one paper that explores innovative methods of manipulating embryonic development to potentially intervene in the biology of regeneration and aging. West expressed admiration for her medical research capabilities, stating that he would employ her immediately if given the chance.
Currently, the 30-year-old Petrova is under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in Louisiana. She is anticipated to be transported to Massachusetts as early as Friday in anticipation of a bail hearing about the smuggling charges set for the upcoming week, according to her legal representatives.
Gregory Romanovsky, Petrova’s lawyer, expressed satisfaction regarding the opportunity to present evidence showing that Petrova did not possess dangerous or illegal materials. He contended that customs officials at Logan International Airport acted beyond their legal scope in revoking her visa and detaining her. Romanovsky asserted that Petrova poses no danger to the community nor is she a flight risk, arguing against her detention.
Petrova’s interactions with customs occurred as she was returning from a vacation in France, where she had acquired a set of samples from a specialized lab focusing on micro-slicing frog embryos. She was questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Boston Logan International Airport about the samples. In a recent interview, Petrova stated that she was unaware of the requirement to declare the items and had no intention of concealing them. Following their inquiry, officials informed her of the cancellation of her visa.
Detained by immigration officers initially, Petrova filed a petition in Vermont, requesting her release. She was temporarily detained there before being relocated to Louisiana. The smuggling charge was filed earlier this month, aligned with U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss’s scheduling of a hearing on her petition. On Wednesday, Judge Reiss determined that the actions of the immigration officers were unwarranted, Petrova was not a threat, and the embryos were neither living nor hazardous.
Romanovsky sought to prevent immigration authorities from potentially re-detaining Petrova following any release from Massachusetts. Nonetheless, Judge Reiss indicated hesitancy to restrict prospective actions by an executive agency, taking into account assurances from U.S. Department of Justice attorney Jeffrey Hartman that there are no current plans to re-arrest Petrova.
Romanovsky argued that the actions of Customs and Border Protection lacked legal grounds for both the cancellation of Petrova’s visa and her detention. The Department of Homeland Security responded through social media, asserting Petrova’s detention followed her alleged dishonesty to federal officers regarding the substances she carried into the U.S. They claimed that messages found on her phone indicated intentions to bring the materials through customs without proper declaration.
Harvard University, linked to Petrova’s research, stated they are closely following the developments of this situation.