Information on a Rhode Island doctor and academic, who was sent back to Lebanon:
Rewritten Article:
Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a medical professional and Brown University faculty member, has been sent back to her native Lebanon over the weekend amidst a heated dispute over her detention and a court order intended to keep her in the U.S.
The controversy surrounding Alawieh intensified on Monday when a federal judge stated that border agents didn't intentionally defy the court's order and the Trump administration, intensifying immigration arrests, justified her removal based on photos of Hezbollah leaders found on her phone.
Criticism towards the situation has been widespread, including from Alawieh's fellow professionals at Brown Medicine in Providence, who assert that her absence will negatively impact patients.
Here's a breakdown of the facts:
Who is Dr. Rasha Alawieh?
Alawieh, 34, arrived in the United States in 2018 and gained a medical degree from the American University of Beirut. Following this, she attended numerous study programs at The Ohio State University, the University of Washington in Seattle, and Yale University[1].
Alawieh worked on a J-1 visa, a program designed for individuals intending to receive graduate medical education, before being employed by Brown University as a nephrology specialist[2]. She was then granted an H-1B visa for doctors.
US government cites photos and Alawieh's presence at Hezbollah leader's funeral
Alawieh reportedly encountered immigration issues back in February when her return visa was delayed. Her attorneys attributed this to increased vetting for Lebanese nationals regarding potential security risks[1].
During her time in Lebanon, Alawieh attended the public funeral of former Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, is a declared terrorist organization by the U.S. and other Western nations involved in a long-standing conflict with Israel[3].
Authorities claim Alawieh openly admitted attending the funeral and having photos of Nasrallah and Iran's supreme leader on her phone[3]. However, Alawieh stated that the images were for spiritual and moral reasons, not political support[5].
The White House published a photo of Alawieh alongside one of Donald Trump, indicating her departure with the caption, "Bye-bye Rasha."
The court fight over Alawieh's detention
After being detained at Boston Logan International Airport, Alawieh's legal battle for residency went before a federal court, with a complaint claiming a denial of due process[4]. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, a Barack Obama appointee, issued an order on Friday, preventing Alawieh's removal without 48 hours prior notification to the court. However, Alawieh was still deported before the court received the notification[4].
In a court filing on Monday, Judge Sorokin cited sworn affidavits stating that federal agents had not received official notice of his order before Alawieh had already left the U.S.[4]
What's next in court
Judge Sorokin has delayed further legal action and canceled a hearing at the request of Alawieh's attorney, Stephanie Marzouk. Marzouk, however, did not elaborate on the legal grounds that will be used to request Alawieh's return[4].
Support from colleagues
Several supporters held protests outside the Rhode Island State House, showing signs such as "Dr. Rasha Has Rights" and "Bring Back Dr. Alawieh: We Need Her Here." While Brown Medicine declined comment on the legal dispute, some staff members stressed her immense contribution to the medical field in Rhode Island[6].
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/17/us/rasha-alawieh-brown-university-deportation/index.html[2] https://www.ccadvisor.com/resources/visas/j-1-visa/j1-visa-tracks-for-medical-graduates/[3] https://www.boingboing.net/2025/03/18/what-on-earth-is-going-on-with-dr-r.html[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/us/politics/rasha-alawieh-brown-university-deportation.html[5] https://www.local12.com/news/local-news/brown-university-assistant-professor-detained-at-boston-logan-international-airport/[6] https://www.news9.com/story/25708389/brown-medicine-staff-protest-after-asst-professor-sent-back-to-lebanon
- Despite Brown University faculty member, Dr. Rasha Alawieh's efforts to contest her removal, the U.S. government deported her to her native Lebanon last weekend in a court order dispute.
- Nephrologists at Brown Medicine expressed concern over Dr. Rasha Alawieh's absence, stating her departure would negatively impact their patients.
- After U.S. authorities deported Dr. Alawieh, her residential case went to court, where federal judge Leo Sorokin confirmed that the border agents didn't receive official notice of his order before her removal.
