Brown professor deported to Lebanon after allegedly attending Hezbollah funeral, government says
NBC7 days ago
Brown University Professor Deported Over Alleged Hezbollah Ties
Above: Demonstrators protest the deportation of Assistant Professor of Medicine Dr. Rasha Alawieh of Brown University at the State House in Providence, Rhode Island, on March 17, 2025. Image copyright: Joseph Perzioso/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
If anyone violates the terms of their visitation to the US, Washington has the right to keep that person out of the country as a matter of national security. In this case, Alawieh's ties to designated terrorist organizations justified her immediate removal, regardless of her professional credentials or visa status.
Democratic narrative
By defying a court order to not deport Alawieh, who had a valid visa and seemingly committed no crime, the Trump administration has moved the US ever closer to dictatorship. This action reflects discriminatory targeting of Muslim academics and medical professionals, disrupting patient care and academic work without proper justification.