In a stunning defiance of a federal court order, Brown University medical professor Dr. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon over the weekend, despite holding a valid U.S. work visa. The 34-year-old nephrology researcher was detained at Boston’s Logan International Airport on Thursday after returning from a family visit to Lebanon. By Sunday, she was on a flight to Paris, en route to Beirut, in what appears to be a direct violation of a judge’s order blocking her immediate removal.
The case has sparked outrage among academics and civil rights advocates, who see it as part of a broader pattern of aggressive immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Federal prosecutors allege that Alawieh’s deportation was justified after authorities discovered “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah leaders on her cellphone. Alawieh reportedly told federal agents that she had attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom she supported from a “religious perspective.”
Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group, is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. However, Alawieh’s supporters argue that her alleged sympathies do not equate to active support for terrorism and that her deportation undermines due process.
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A Judge’s Order Ignored
The deportation came despite a Friday order from U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin, who scheduled a hearing for Monday and mandated that federal authorities provide 48 hours’ notice before removing Alawieh from the country. Instead, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) placed her on a flight to Paris, presumably bound for Lebanon, without notifying the court.
In court documents filed Sunday, Judge Sorokin accused CBP of “willfully disobeying” his order and demanded a legal and factual explanation from the government by Monday morning. CBP has not publicly commented on the case, but a spokesperson told Reuters that officers “adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats” and emphasized that the burden of proving admissibility lies with individuals.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the deportation as “commonsense security.” In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said,
“A visa is a privilege, not a right – glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied.”
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Brown University Reacts
Brown University, where Alawieh held a clinical appointment, expressed concern over the incident but stopped short of condemning the deportation. A university spokesperson said Brown was “seeking to learn more about what has happened” but noted that Alawieh was employed by Brown Medicine, a non-profit affiliated with the university’s medical school, rather than directly by the university.
In an email to international students and faculty, Brown advised against international travel due to “potential changes in travel restrictions and travel bans.” The warning reflects growing anxiety among foreign-born scholars and students, who feel increasingly targeted by the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Dr. George Bayliss, a colleague of Alawieh at Brown’s Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension, told The New York Times that the staff was “outraged” by her deportation. “None of us know why this happened,” he said.
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A Broader Crackdown on Immigration
Alawieh’s deportation is not an isolated incident. It comes amid a wave of aggressive immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration, including the deportation of more than 250 immigrants to El Salvador on Sunday, despite a judge’s order halting the flights. Many of those deported were allegedly members of Venezuelan and Salvadoran gangs, though critics argue that the administration’s actions flout judicial authority and due process.
The administration has also targeted universities, particularly those with a history of pro-Palestinian activism. In recent weeks, federal authorities detained Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and green card holder who led pro-Palestinian protests in 2024, for deportation. Another Columbia student, Ranjani Srinivasan, fled to Canada after being targeted by immigration officials, despite having no ties to the protests.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly considering new travel restrictions for citizens of dozens of countries, potentially suspending or limiting visas for individuals from three separate groups of nations.
A Test of Judicial Independence
The deportation of Alawieh and others has raised concerns about the erosion of judicial independence and the rule of law. On Sunday, the White House issued a statement criticizing U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg, who had blocked the administration from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations.
“A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movement of an aircraft … full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The statement marked an extraordinary rebuke of the judiciary, which has historically served as a check on executive power.
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The deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to bypass judicial orders in the name of national security. While federal authorities argue that her alleged ties to Hezbollah justified her removal, critics see the case as part of a broader assault on due process and academic freedom.
As the administration continues to target immigrants and universities, the question remains: Will the courts be able to rein in executive overreach, or will the rule of law become collateral damage in the war on terror?
For now, the case of Dr. Alawieh serves as a chilling reminder of the precarious position of foreign-born scholars in an increasingly hostile immigration climate.
