PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a doctor from Lebanon who was deported from Boston's Logan Airport earlier this year despite having a visa. The court's decision followed claims by immigration officials that she supported a Hezbollah leader and attended his funeral.
In March, Dr. Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown University, was detained for at least 36 hours upon arrival from Lebanon. Officials stated that during the detention, they reviewed her phone and found images of 'Hezbollah fighters and martyrs.' Alawieh argued her interest was in the spiritual beliefs of the leader, Hassan Nasrallah, though she confirmed that some of her family members supported his political activities.
Her case drew significant national attention, leading to a legal campaign from her family aimed at keeping her in the U.S. Initially, a federal judge ordered that she not be removed until a hearing could be conducted, but her deportation occurred before customs officials received the notice.
Late last month, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled against Alawieh's case, clarifying that he lacked the authority to grant the relief she sought, particularly regarding the five-year reentry ban resulting from her expedited removal order. 'This Court simply cannot issue in this habeas action the orders Alawieh hopes to obtain,' Sorokin stated on October 31.
The judge also cited the Supreme Court's 2020 ruling which upheld the fast-track deportation process, further limiting federal judges' ability to intervene in such cases. Overall, he emphasized that the five-year ban was not a result of the detention she challenged, but rather a component of the expedited removal order.
An email requesting comments was sent to Alawieh's attorneys following the ruling.
