Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova faces deportation– Here’s what happened

A Russian-born Harvard scientist, Kseniia Petrova, is at the centre of a complex legal battle in the United States after her arrest in February and subsequent detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The 30-year-old researcher at Harvard Medical School is facing deportation to Russia, a country she fled fearing political persecution.She’s also now charged with smuggling undeclared biological samples into the US.The case began when Petrova returned from a vacation in France and was stopped at Boston Logan International Airport. Customs officers allegedly discovered undeclared frog embryos in her luggage, leading to the immediate revocation of her J-1 visa and ICE detention, reported AP. Petrova later said she didn’t realise the items needed to be declared and denied any attempt to hide them.The US Department of Homeland Security accused Petrova of “lying to federal officers” and said messages on her phone indicated she planned to bypass customs protocols. The samples, which included frog embryos in microcentrifuge tubes, were later confirmed by her mentor, Harvard professor Leon Peshkin, to be non-hazardous.

“I don’t think she did anything wrong,” he was quoted by the news agency AP. “At most she should have gotten a warning or maybe a fine.”Despite the relatively minor nature of the alleged customs violation, Petrova now faces one count of smuggling, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge was filed three months after her arrest, just as a Vermont federal judge, Christina Reiss, scheduled a bail hearing, questioning the government’s legal grounds for her prolonged detention.Petrova’s lawyer, Gregory Romanovsky, accused the government of trying to make her “look like a criminal to justify their efforts to deport her.” He also called the timing of the smuggling charge “especially suspect.”Federal prosecutors argue that Petrova knowingly imported the undeclared materials. According to The New York Times, text messages revealed she had “no plan” for how to get the samples through customs.

Her past work at a Russian genetic research centre with government ties has also been noted in court filings.The case has stirred concern in academic circles. Harvard University said it is “monitoring the situation,” while a group of about 20 students and faculty members travelled to Vermont in solidarity. “Whether I know her personally or not is immaterial,” said Adam Sychla, a Harvard researcher. “She is being unfairly detained.”Petrova insists she fears arrest if returned to Russia because of her political views and participation in protests. “If I go back, I am afraid I will be imprisoned,” she was quoted as saying by AP.While a final decision on her deportation is pending, Petrova will get an opportunity to present her asylum claim.