A professor from Brown University was deported to Lebanon without explanation, despite US visa

Описание: (17 Mar 2025)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4562295

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boston – 17 March 2025
1. Wide exterior of the federal courthouse
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephanie Marzouk, Dr. Rasha Alawieh’s Lawyer:
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"Yes, our clients in Lebanon. But we're not going to stop fighting to get her back in the U.S. to see her patients where she should be. And we're going to try to make sure the government follows the rule of law."
3. Close up of signage outside the federal courthouse
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Susie Hu, Dr. Rasha Alawieh’s Colleague:
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"So, she is one of three transplant nephrologists in the entire state of Rhode Island, which, you know, also serves the parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. And, you know, her absence is really detrimental to our program, which is important in terms of providing transplant care for our transplant ... kidney transplant recipients."
5. Wide of the entrance to the federal courthouse
6. Medium of Drs. Douglas Shemin and Susie Hu talking to reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Douglas Shemin, Hired Dr. Rasha Alawieh:
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"She is an outstanding, outstanding physician and an outstanding teacher, an outstanding teacher, an outstanding clinician and her absence will be a loss to the patients we take care of in our state who have chronic kidney disease or kidney transplants. And it will be a loss to the trainees that we train – medical students, residents, fellows – because she's an out ... because it's an important ... she has an important fount of knowledge, a fount of knowledge that not everyone has. And it's her loss ... her absence is regrettable."
8. Wide of the courthouse
9. Tilt-up view of the federal courthouse
10. Over-the-shoulder view of Drs. Douglas Shemin and Susie Hu talking to reporters
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Douglas Shemin, Hired Dr. Rasha Alawieh:
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"We have about 1,300 patients that we care for who have had kidney transplants, and we also have about 300 or 400 who are awaiting kidney transplants and ... and they are need to be evaluated on a routine basis. We have three transplant nephrologists in our state to cover those ... in our program to cover those patients. And with her absence, obviously the work will have to be borne by her two other ... two other colleagues and the rest of us. It's difficult because there's a shortage of transplant nephrologists. It's a lot of work. It's a hard-working specialty with very, very long hours, lots of emergencies, lots of weekends, lots of nights. And it's hard to recruit high-quality physicians for this position. Dr. Alawieh fit ... met all of those criteria."
12. Close up of signage outside the federal courthouse
13. Wide of the entrance to the building
14. Overhead view of Dr. Douglas Shemin talking to reporters

AP Video shot by Rodrique Ngowi.
STORYLINE:
A doctor from Lebanon who arrived at the Boston airport was deported without explanation, after government lawyers said border officials did not get word she was to stay in the U.S. for a hearing.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh had been granted the visa on March 11 and arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday, according to a complaint filed on her behalf by a cousin in federal court.

The 34-year-old Alawieh, who had worked and lived in Rhode Island previously, was detained at least 36 hours, through Friday.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin issued an order on Friday that an in-person hearing be scheduled Monday, with Alawieh brought to court.



Lawyers for the government asked that the petition be dismissed.




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