Government documents filed in court said agents found "sympathetic photos and videos" of Hezbollah leaders on Alawieh’s phone. Because of this, officers decided that her true purpose in the U.S. could not be confirmed. As a result, her visa was revoked, and she was not allowed to re-enter the country.
Doctor Says It Was About Religion, Not Politics
Dr. Alawieh, 34, told border officials she followed the religious teachings of the late Hezbollah figure Hassan Nasrallah, but not his political views. Nasrallah was killed in an airstrike in 2024. She said she had attended a memorial for him while visiting her family in Lebanon before returning to the U.S.
When officers questioned her about deleted photos of Nasrallah and Iranian religious leader Ali Khamenei, Alawieh replied, "I’m a Shia Muslim. He’s a religious figure. It has nothing to do with politics. It’s all religious, spiritual things."
She said she deleted the photos to avoid giving the impression that she supported any political movement.
Dispute Over Deportation Timing and Court Order
Alawieh’s removal from the country has sparked a legal dispute. Court documents show that a judge had issued an order asking federal officers not to deport her without giving the court 48 hours to review the case.
The government says they didn’t get the court’s order until after Alawieh had already left the country. In their reply, they added that CBP would never ignore a judge’s order on purpose.
But Alawieh’s lawyer, Clare Saunders, said she went to Logan Airport to show officials the judge’s order. She said a CBP officer, identified as Chief Kane, told her that the electronic copy was not enough and asked for a printed version instead. Alawieh was on a flight scheduled to leave just minutes later.
Support from Medical Community
Colleagues of Dr. Alawieh showed up in court to support her. They described her as a skilled doctor and a dedicated caregiver who never discussed politics at work.
Dr. Susie Hu, interim director of Brown Medicine’s Division of Kidney Transplant & Hypertension, said the photos on her phone didn’t prove anything and did not suggest she was a threat. “Everyone has photos on their phone,” she said.
Dr. Douglas Shemin, who used to lead the same division, said Alawieh had been hired after a national search and was one of just three nephrologists in Rhode Island. He added that she had studied and worked in the U.S. for six years and was an important part of the hospital team.
Impact on Patients and Hospital Operations
Alawieh was responsible for checking and managing kidney transplant patients at Rhode Island Hospital. She helped evaluate people before their procedures and continued caring for them afterward. Dr. Hu said the program has about 1,300 patients and losing Alawieh affects many of them.
Both Hu and Shemin pointed out that their department includes doctors from many backgrounds, and no one had ever heard Alawieh express political views.
Legal Questions Still Unresolved
As of now, no new court hearing date has been set. The government has until March 24 to fully respond to the legal claims. The case raises broader questions about how people entering the U.S. are screened and how personal content on digital devices is being used to decide someone’s admissibility.
Supporters of Alawieh hope the case can be reviewed again and believe she should be allowed to return and continue serving her patients.
The situation has also drawn attention to how court orders are handled in real-time and whether current systems can respond quickly enough to prevent similar situations in the future.
Keywords: Rasha Alawieh, Brown Medicine, deported doctor, visa cancellation, kidney transplant, US immigration, medical staff deportation