Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist at Harvard Medical School, was released on bail on Thursday after spending four months in US detention. Petrova was initially detained in February at Boston's Logan Airport for failing to declare frog embryo samples she was carrying for research. Since then, she has been transferred through multiple detention centers across several states, reports the New York Times.
Petrova's case is unusual among academic deportation cases because it revolves around a customs violation, which her lawyer says is typically handled with a fine, not visa cancellation or criminal charges. After her J-1 visa was revoked, deportation proceedings began. Months later, federal prosecutors also charged her with smuggling, a felony crime that could carry up to 20 years in prison or a fine of up to $250,000. Petrova has said in the past she didn't know she had to declare the samples, per the Guardian.
Petrova, who came to the United States after fleeing Russia for political reasons in 2022, fears arrest, or worse, if forced to return. Petrova has agreed, however, to be deported to France, she says. For now, she's staying in Boston and can't work due to her visa status. She says she's considering options from other countries interested in her research. The samples in question—xenopus frog embryos—are used in cell division studies at Harvard.
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A federal judge recently questioned the basis for stripping Petrova's visa and found the samples weren't hazardous. USA Today notes that before criminal charges were brought against her, the DOJ attempted to dismiss the case that calls for deporting her to Russia, where she says she'll likely face persecution due to her support for Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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