Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese national and assistant professor at Brown University, was deported from the U.S. after attending the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Upon her return, border officials at Boston Logan Airport discovered deleted photos and videos on her phone that were allegedly sympathetic to Hezbollah.
Despite holding a valid H-1B visa, U.S. authorities revoked her entry, citing national security concerns. The Department of Homeland Security stated that any support for designated terrorist organizations is grounds for inadmissibility.
Alawieh’s deportation proceeded despite a judge’s interim order to halt her removal, raising legal challenges and concerns over executive defiance of judicial authority. Brown University is reviewing the case while advising international faculty on immigration risks.
