The case of Rasha Alawieh, a Brown University assistant professor and kidney transplant specialist, has ignited a legal and national security debate after her recent deportation from the United States. Federal authorities revealed that Alawieh, who was in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, attended the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, the former Hezbollah leader killed in an Israeli airstrike in September. She also allegedly possessed deleted images and videos showing Hezbollah militants, raising concerns about her ideological affiliations.
Alawieh was detained at Boston Logan International Airport upon returning from Lebanon. According to reports, she admitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents that she attended Nasrallah’s funeral and expressed religious support for him, though she denied supporting his political activities. However, a subsequent search of her phone revealed “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah figures, prompting further scrutiny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady, in a court filing obtained by Politico and The Providence Journal, stated that CBP determined Alawieh’s “true intentions in the United States could not be determined” and thus canceled her visa. Under immigration law, foreign nationals who support, advocate for, or associate with U.S.-designated terrorist organizations—including Hezbollah—can be deemed inadmissible to the country.
Senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CBP defended the deportation, emphasizing that visas are privileges, not guarantees of entry.
“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,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah.”
CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham echoed that sentiment, stating, “Foreign nationals who promote extremist ideologies or carry terrorist propaganda are inadmissible to the U.S., plain and simple… Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths.”
Despite her removal, Alawieh’s case remains in legal limbo. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, an Obama-appointed judge, intervened, claiming that Alawieh could not be deported without 48-hour notice to the court. Sorokin initially scheduled a hearing for March 18 but postponed it to March 25, allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) more time to address allegations that federal agents ignored the court’s directive.
The case raises critical legal and security questions. While immigration laws grant broad discretion to federal agencies to deny entry based on national security concerns, judicial oversight remains a point of contention.
Alawieh’s supporters argue that her deportation may have bypassed due process, while DHS maintains that her associations with a designated terrorist group made her inadmissible under well-established law.
