A federal judge in Burlington, Vermont, has ordered the release of Kseniia Petrova, a Harvard Medical School researcher, from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody during a bail hearing on Wednesday. Petrova had been embroiled in deportation proceedings for nearly three months after her detention at Boston Logan Airport in February.
Judge Christina Reiss ruled that there was “clear and convincing evidence” indicating that Petrova did not pose a security threat or flight risk. Petrova was apprehended while attempting to bring frog embryos into the U.S. for her research but was charged with failing to declare them, which led to her being transferred to an ICE facility.
Her attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, expressed relief over the ruling, asserting that the evidence presented demonstrates Petrova was not carrying anything illegal and that customs officials acted beyond their authority in revoking her visa. Despite this victory, Petrova’s legal troubles are not over. Just two weeks prior, the government escalated her situation by introducing criminal smuggling charges against her in Massachusetts, which resulted in her being placed in criminal custody.
While she has been granted bail in the immigration case, the ruling does not guarantee her release due to the new criminal charges. Judge Reiss declined to prevent ICE from re-detaining Petrova if she secures bail on the criminal matter. The timeline for her upcoming bail hearing remains uncertain, although Romanovsky anticipated it would occur in Massachusetts in the near future.
Reiss instructed the government’s attorney to formulate conditions for Petrova’s release, with a deadline set for May 30. Petrova’s case has garnered significant public attention, prompting responses from 17 U.S. senators and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell, who have called for her freedom.
Romanovsky maintains that Petrova’s arrest was unlawful and reiterated that the government lacked a legal basis for terminating her visa and holding her. In a ruling on Wednesday, Reiss agreed with this assessment, declaring the actions of Customs and Border Protection officers unlawful.
During the hearing, Michael D. West, a molecular gerontology expert and biotech entrepreneur, testified that the frog samples Petrova attempted to import posed no hazard to public safety. Colleagues and friends of Petrova also spoke out during the hearing, asserting her positive character and lack of danger to the community.
Although Petrova was unable to participate actively in the proceedings, she appeared via Zoom, displaying moments of emotion as supporters defended her. She is being transferred to Massachusetts for her upcoming bail hearing related to the criminal charges.
This article was automatically written by OpenAI, and the people, facts, circumstances, and story may be inaccurate. Any article can be requested for removal, retraction, or correction by emailing contact@publiclawlibrary.org.