Federal Authorities Deport Brown University Doctor After Alleged Support for Hezbollah Leader

Federal Authorities Deport Brown University Doctor After Alleged Support for Hezbollah Leader

U.S. federal authorities recently deported Rasha Alawieh, a physician and assistant professor at Brown University, back to Lebanon despite her holding an H-1B visa. This decision came in light of her attendance at the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a notorious leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, known for orchestrating violent acts that have claimed the lives of hundreds of Americans.

Tricia McLaughlin, the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, detailed the case in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah – a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree,” McLaughlin stated. Alawieh reportedly acknowledged this to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and expressed her support for Nasrallah.

McLaughlin emphasized that visas granted to foreign nationals are privileges, not inherent rights. She underscored that glorifying and supporting terrorists is valid grounds for denying visa applications, citing the importance of commonsense security measures in national immigration policies.

Background on Rasha Alawieh

Rasha Alawieh, 34, who specializes in kidney transplantation, was living in Rhode Island prior to her arrest. She was detained at Boston Logan International Airport upon her return from Lebanon. During her questioning by CBP, Alawieh allegedly revealed details surrounding her participation in Nasrallah’s funeral, as noted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady in a recent court filing.

The filing, which remained sealed, was reported on by Politico and The Providence Journal before becoming publicly accessible. Alawieh allegedly mentioned that her support for Nasrallah was “from a religious perspective” rather than a political stance.

Evidence Gathered by Federal Authorities

Investigators also examined Alawieh’s mobile device, where they discovered sympathetic images and videos of Hezbollah leaders, along with materials documenting activities of various Hezbollah militants stored in a deleted folder. This evidence led CBP to question Alawieh further regarding her intentions for residing in the United States.

In a communication regarding Alawieh’s case, Department of Justice lawyers reported that due to the discovered materials, federal agents could not ascertain her genuine intentions. Consequently, CBP canceled her visa, deeming her inadmissible to the United States.

Judicial Response and Hearing Postponement

Following these developments, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, appointed by former President Barack Obama, mandated an in-person hearing for Alawieh’s case to be held the following Monday. Sorokin prohibited her deportation for at least 48 hours to provide the court time to examine the circumstances properly. However, reports indicate that Alawieh was nonetheless placed on a flight to Paris before returning to Lebanon over the weekend.

Sorokin’s decision to postpone the hearing occurred just before it was to commence, effectively rescheduling it for March 25. This delay was meant to allow the DOJ sufficient time to respond to concerns raised over whether federal agents ignored a court order related to Alawieh’s deportation.

According to CBP official John Wallace, federal agents were not informed through proper channels regarding the court order before Alawieh was put on the Air France flight. Such procedural oversights have sparked discussions on the management of cases involving foreign nationals and immigration laws.

Career Background and Legal Challenges

Rasha Alawieh initially entered the United States in 2018 to pursue a nephrology fellowship at Ohio State University. Following this, she successfully completed a fellowship at the University of Washington and an internal medicine program at Yale University. Her academic contributions have garnered her a position at Brown University, which sponsored her H-1B visa for her role as an assistant professor of medicine and clinician educator.

During her detainment at Boston Logan International Airport, Alawieh’s cousin, Yara Chehab, attempted to intervene legally on her behalf. Chehab’s federal lawsuit documented that Brown Medicine sponsored Alawieh’s H-1B visa and emphasized her qualifications for the role she was performing as an assistant professor.

Notably, Alawieh had received her current H-1B visa on March 11, enabling her to fulfill her responsibilities at Brown University. She had previously worked there prior to the visa issuance, highlighting her established connection to the institution.

Awaiting Further Developments

As this complex case unfolds, Fox News Digital has reached out to Brown University, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Justice Department, and Chehab’s attorney for additional comments, though responses have not yet been received. The implications of Alawieh’s case on immigration policy and national security concerns will likely continue to resonate within legal and academic circles.