There is a common belief that where we end up in life is influenced by our circumstances, decisions, and sometimes, forces beyond our control.
For many immigrants, legal issues can become a nightmare, even when they have done nothing wrong.
This is the case for Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born researcher at Harvard Medical School, who is currently being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to Ziare.
Petrova was detained at the airport while returning from a trip to France on February 16. Since then, she has been in an immigration detention center.
Cora Anderson, one of her colleagues, said her visa was revoked, and she was told she would be deported to Russia.
Fearing political persecution, Petrova sought asylum instead. Authorities then transferred her to an ICE detention center.
According to Anderson, Petrova was initially unable to contact anyone after her arrest.
She was first moved to a facility in Vermont and later to Louisiana, where she is now being held with over 80 other women in a jail leased by ICE.
Despite having legal representation, she remains in custody with no clear timeline for release.
Petrova’s situation is particularly concerning because of her past. She openly protested Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, called for the impeachment of President Vladimir Putin, and was previously arrested in Russia.
Fearing further persecution, she fled to Georgia and later moved to the U.S. to continue her research.
Her employer, Leon Peshkin, describes her as an exceptional scientist. She had a valid work visa allowing her to travel freely.
However, during her trip to Paris, she made a critical mistake. Peshkin asked her to bring a box of frog embryo samples back to Harvard.
The samples were legal, but she made an administrative error on her U.S. customs declaration. Upon arrival in Boston, customs officers stopped her.
The penalty for such a mistake is typically a fine of up to $500. Instead, immigration officers denied her re-entry and placed her in ICE custody.
When she explained that returning to Russia could result in imprisonment, she was sent to detention to await an asylum hearing.
Peshkin says Petrova should qualify for parole while awaiting her hearing. However, parole approvals are not happening at the moment.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her, as applying for a new visa is a long process. During this time, she would be unable to work or earn an income.
Petrova’s case is not an isolated incident. Recently, U.S. immigration authorities have detained other students and researchers, including green card holders.
A French scientist was recently denied entry to the U.S. after officers found messages critical of former President Donald Trump on his phone.
Canadian citizen Jasmine Mooney was held for two weeks before being released. A German tourist spent six weeks in detention, including time in solitary confinement.
In recent weeks, federal agents have detained several individuals, including a Turkish PhD student, a Palestinian activist, and an Indian postdoctoral fellow.
Many of them were taken into custody for reasons unrelated to any criminal activity.
Petrova remains in a detention center with no clear path forward.
Her colleagues and legal team are fighting for her release, but for now, she is stuck in an immigration system that often leaves people in limbo.
