Homeland Security officials revealed the possible reason behind the deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese doctor with a U.S. visa, stating that she openly admitted to supporting a Hezbollah leader and attending his funeral. Alawieh’s deportation has caused widespread alarm and sparked protests, with a federal judge ordering that she not be removed until a hearing could be held. The Trump administration has come under fire for similar deportations of foreign-born individuals with U.S. visas, including Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and others.
Alawieh’s lawyer, Stephanie Marzouk, is determined to fight for her client’s return to the U.S. to continue her work as a kidney transplant specialist and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University. Alawieh, who had lived and worked in Rhode Island, arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday with a valid visa. Despite a court order for an in-person hearing and Alawieh’s cousin filing a motion to prevent her deportation, Customs officials disregarded the order and sent her back to Lebanon.
Colleagues and supporters of Alawieh gathered outside the Rhode Island Statehouse and the federal courthouse in Boston to protest her deportation and demonstrate support for her. Dr. Paul Morrissey, director of the organ transplantation division at Brown, emphasized Alawieh’s talent and dedication to patient care, stating that her absence will adversely impact the medical community. Lawyers for Khalil, who is also facing deportation, have filed a motion for his release, citing concerns over freedom of speech and government retaliation. The continued deportations of individuals with U.S. visas have raised questions about political repression and human rights violations.
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