Travel Advisory Issued Following Professor’s Deportation
Brown University is cautioning its international students, staff, and faculty against traveling abroad after a recent deportation incident involving one of its medical school professors. The advisory follows the removal of Assistant Professor Rasha Alawieh, who was deported upon returning from Lebanon despite a judge’s order permitting her to remain in the U.S. This incident is part of a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration that has impacted several academic institutions.
In a campus-wide email, Russell Carey, Brown’s executive vice president for planning and policy, advised the university’s international community, including visa and green card holders, to reconsider any non-essential travel outside the United States. “Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage international students, staff, faculty, and scholars to consider postponing or delaying personal travel until further guidance is provided by the U.S. Department of State,” Carey wrote. Although official travel policies have not changed, he emphasized that the uncertainty surrounding immigration enforcement necessitates extra precautions.
Deportation of Brown Professor Raises Concerns
The advisory comes just as students prepare to leave for spring break and in the wake of Alawieh’s deportation, which has raised alarms within the academic community. Alawieh, an H-1B visa holder with a clinical appointment at Brown Medicine, was detained upon her return from Lebanon before being forcibly removed from the country.
Despite a judge’s ruling allowing her to stay, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were not informed of the court order in time. The university is actively seeking more information about the situation. “We continue to investigate what happened and the circumstances surrounding Dr. Alawieh’s removal,” Brown University stated.
The DHS justified the deportation by alleging that Alawieh had traveled to Lebanon to attend the funeral of a Hezbollah leader responsible for attacks against Americans. According to officials, she also expressed support for Hezbollah’s current leader, Hassan Nasrallah. These claims have further complicated the already tense discussions around immigration policies affecting academic professionals.
Broader Impact on the Academic Community
Alawieh’s deportation is not an isolated case. The Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies have resulted in similar actions against other international academics. Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University and a green card holder, was detained, while another Columbia student recently had her student visa revoked. These incidents have fueled growing anxiety among international scholars, who now face heightened risks when traveling abroad.
In response, universities across the country are providing additional resources to help their international communities navigate the evolving immigration landscape. Brown University’s warning serves as a reminder of the precarious situation faced by many scholars and students, particularly amid shifting federal enforcement practices. As uncertainty looms, institutions continue to advocate for clearer guidelines and protections for their international members.
