Deadline in case of New England doctor deported to Lebanon as Tufts student remains in custody
Monday marks the deadline for attorneys to file a petition in the case of a New England-based professor and doctor who was deported to Lebanon earlier this month as a Tufts University student detained by ICE last week remains in custody.
Dr. Rasha Alawieh, one of only three kidney transplant specialists in Rhode Island, has been working at Brown University in Providence for the last six years. Still, despite valid visas and a federal judge's explicit orders, she was sent back to Lebanon on the night of March 14 after she was detained at Boston's Logan Airport.
Alawieh, 34, was sent away just as the Trump administration transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador, even though a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.
After her deportation, Alawieh's counsel filed a motion saying customs officials 'willfully' disobeyed the order by sending Alawieh back to Lebanon.
Lawyers for the government said in a court filing that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Logan Airport did not receive notice of the order until she 'had already departed the United States,' the judge noted. They asked that the petition be dismissed.
Homeland Security officials said Alawieh 'openly admitted' to supporting a Hezbollah leader and attending his funeral.
'A visa is a privilege not a right — glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security,' Homeland Security said in its statement.
When asked why she deleted the photos days before arriving in Boston, Alawieh allegedly told officers: 'Because I didn't want the perception. But I know I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm not related to anything politically or militarily.'
We're expecting to hear from Alawieh's attorney through court filings on Monday, responding to the motion to dismiss the petition.
An update is also expected in the case of a Tufts graduate student detained by federal immigration authorities.
Turkish national Rumeysa Ozturk, a resident of Somerville with a valid F-1 student status, is being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana.
Ozturk's attorney wants her released from ICE custody and her visa restored and has asked the court to assume jurisdiction over the matter.
Ozturk's attorney has argued that she hasn't been charged with any crime but believes her arrest and detention is part of a concerted and systemic effort to punish students and others identified with pro-Palestine activism.
Ozturk is expected to appear before a judge on April 7.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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