• The U.S. government intends to deport Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova to Russia.
• Petrova fears political persecution and arrest upon her return to Russia.
• She was detained for failing to declare biological samples at Boston's Logan Airport.
• A federal judge has scheduled a bail hearing for May 28.
• The case raises concerns about the treatment of international academics in the U.S.

U.S. government attorneys announced plans on Wednesday to deport Kseniia Petrova, a Harvard Medical School researcher, back to Russia, despite her fears of facing persecution due to her opposition to the government's actions regarding the Ukraine war. Petrova was detained at a Boston airport in February after customs officers discovered undeclared biological samples in her luggage, which she was transporting for her research, according to The New York Times, ABC News, and HuffPost.

During a federal court hearing in Vermont, the Department of Justice argued for Petrova's removal based on her visa revocation, claiming that she had made a "material misrepresentation" by not declaring the samples. However, Judge Christina Reiss questioned the authority of customs officers to revoke her visa, suggesting that usually, such a violation would only incur a fine, as outlined by ABC News and HuffPost.

Petrova, who left Russia in 2022 fearing for her safety after voicing her opposition to the war in Ukraine, has been held in a Louisiana immigration detention facility since her arrest. Her attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, noted that she will have the opportunity to present her asylum claim during the legal proceedings, which may take considerable time. "We will continue to fight for Kseniia's freedom," he stated, as reported by India Times and The New York Times.

The case has not only highlighted Petrova's plight but also raises broader concerns about the chilling effect such immigration actions might have on international academics in the U.S. Many fear that strict immigration enforcement could dissuade talented researchers from pursuing opportunities in America, ultimately hindering scientific progress, as encapsulated by discussions in HuffPost and ABC News.