Russian woman working at Harvard arrested, visa cancelled, faces deportation
Russian scientist Ksenia Petrova was detained upon entering the United States and her visa was revoked after undeclared frog embryo samples were found in her luggage, the Telegram channel reports. Agency NewsA Russian woman who holds anti-war views and left Russia after the war began faces deportation.
Photo: Dmitrii Melnikov | Dreamstime.com
Ksenia Petrova worked legally at Harvard Medical School. She was detained at Boston airport on February 16 while returning from France, her friend Cora Anderson wrote on Facebook. After her visa was revoked, Petrova was told she would be deported to Russia. When she said she feared persecution in Russia for her anti-war views, she was taken to a detention center in Vermont and then transferred to Louisiana.
Everyone who knows Petrova disagrees with the actions of law enforcement. According to another friend of Ksenia, Andrey Shevtsov, the maximum fine for undeclared samples is $500.
"That's it. The rule of law in the US seems to be gone. Arbitrary detentions have become commonplace," Virginia Savova, the wife of Petrova's academic advisor, wrote on LinkedIn.
On the subject: Immigration officers asked to take part in deportations, although they are supposed to deal with legal migrants
According to Shevtsov, Petrova is currently in an immigration center in Richwood, Louisiana. She is being held in a room with several dozen women. Remote communication is only available to her for money, he noted.
Anderson writes that Petrova has a lawyer and is being helped to obtain a new visa, but that process could take several months. Shevtsov suggests that there is a "significant risk" of deportation.
"Quiet" resumption of deportations
In March 2022, shortly after Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration suspended deportations to Russia, Ukraine, and several other Eastern European countries (including Belarus, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia). The U.S. said at the time that deportations to war zones or unstable countries were being temporarily suspended to avoid exposing people to additional risks. For Russians, this meant that those who had crossed the U.S. border (often through Mexico) and sought asylum could count on temporary protection from expulsion, especially if their motive was to flee political repression or the mobilization announced in Russia in September 2022.
According to a March 2023 report in The Guardian, the US has “quietly” resumed deportations to Russia, taking human rights and immigration advocates by surprise. This comes about a year after the suspension, and the exact date for when the new deportations will begin remains unclear — the White House and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have made no official announcement of the policy change. Unlike the high-profile suspension in 2022, the resumption occurred without a public announcement, prompting criticism from those who have been following the fate of Russian migrants.
The story reported by The Guardian involved a young Russian man who crossed the US border through Mexico. He was fleeing a partial mobilization announced in Russia in September 2022. He had requested political asylum, arguing that returning to Russia would put his life in danger because of his refusal to serve in the army. However, ICE officials found that fear of mobilization did not meet the criteria for asylum (such as a proven risk of persecution for political, religious, or ethnic reasons). As a result, he was deported, the first known case since the practice was reinstated.
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"She has support"
Petrova is currently awaiting bail. Meanwhile, her friends have launched a fundraiser to cover expenses and legal costs. To date, they have raised more than $35.
"The situation remains uncertain, but one thing is for sure: she has support in applying for a new visa," the GoFundMe page says. "However, this process will take several months, during which Ksenia Petrova will not be able to work and, therefore, receive a salary. During this time, we hope to cover her monthly expenses (rent, food, utilities, etc.), as well as expected legal costs.
At the moment, the recipient of the funds is her trusted neighbor, friend and colleague, as we do not yet have access to her bank account. However, all donations will be transferred to her as soon as she is able to receive them."
In Russia, Ksenia Petrova may face persecution: there are anti-war posts on her Facebook page.
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