Brown University doctor denied entry to U.S. because of photos on her phone, court documents show
According to now-sealed court filings, a Brown University doctor from Lebanon was denied entry into the United States after Customs and Border Protection found images of Hezbollah fighters on her phone.
Dr. Rasha Alawieh was granted an HB1 or work visa on March 11. On March 13, she flew into Boston's Logan Airport where CBP officials searched her phone and conducted an interview with her, court documents state.
During that interview, a Customs and Border Protection official asked Alawieh why she had photos of Hezbollah on her phone, including photos of the designated terror group's assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah. She allegedly told the official that some of the photos came from family and friends from a WhatsApp group and that Nasrallah, "Is a religious and spiritual person."
Allegedly attended Hezbollah rally
According to the court documents, Alawieh also admitted to attending a Hezbollah rally.
"I attended the commemoration of the death of Nasrallah during this trip while I was waiting for my visa," she allegedly told the official.
After the interview, the government stated it denied Alawieh's admission into the U.S. and revoked her visa. She was put on a flight back to Paris and is now in Lebanon.
CBP phone search
Immigration attorney Stephen Roth says Customs and Border Protection can search anyone's phone for national security reasons inside an airport, and reserves the right to refuse admission to immigrants, even if their visa has been approved by the State Department.
"CBP has statutory, regulatory and legal precedent on their side that allows them to search anyone's phone coming into the United States," Roth said.
Lawyers for Alawieh say Customs and Border Protection "willfully" ignored an order by a federal judge allowing the doctor to stay in the U.S. for 48 hours while her case was reviewed. The judge granted the order on Friday.
Customs and Border Protection argues their attorneys did not get the order until after Alawieh was in the air. "No time would CBP not take a court order seriously or fail to abide by a court's order," government attorneys said.
A lawsuit filed by Alawieh's cousin claims her family has not been provided with information explaining why Alawieh was detained or removed, even though her visa was granted by the State Department.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement saying in part, "A visa is a privilege not a right-glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security."
Rally at Rhode Island State House
On Monday night, dozens of people gathered on the steps of the Rhode Island State House, and less than a mile from Brown University, in support of Dr. Alawieh.
The rally consisted overwhelmingly of people who supported Dr. Alawieh and want her to return to the United States.
"She was basically ambushed at Logan Airport not given any rights," said Mary McDonald of Providence. "So, what does having a green card mean. The new information that maybe she had something to do with Hezbollah gave me pause, but that doesn't change the fact that her due process was denied."
Dr. Alawieh was set to oversee kidney transplants for Brown University. The school reports roughly 300 to 400 patients are waiting for them and that job will now need to be done by just two doctors.
"She is doing great things for people in our community," said Pam O'Hara. "Doing great work deciding who gets transplants. I want people like her here."
