Kseniia Petrova, a scientist originally from Russia and currently a researcher at Harvard University, was charged with one count of bringing contraband into the country on Wednesday.
This charge marks a significant escalation by the Trump administration in cases that have attracted international attention from scholars and scientists globally.
At 30 years old, Petrova was already facing deportation for not disclosing a frog embryo that she brought from France in February. After customs agents found her scientific samples, she was detained, had her J-1 non-immigrant visa revoked, and was moved to the Louisiana Detention Center.
Now, Petrova is awaiting a judge’s ruling on whether she will be sent back to Russia. She left the country in 2022 due to fears of political persecution stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which she opposed.
“I’m really concerned that if I go back, I could be imprisoned for my political stance and opposition to the war,” Petrova mentioned to The Associated Press last month.
A hearing regarding her case took place on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors informed the judge of their intent to deport Petrova back to Russia, according to reports from the New York Times.
Additionally, the Times indicated that a bail hearing is set for later this month, hinting at the possibility of her release. Petrova’s attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, expressed skepticism about the timing of the government’s actions, stating, “The criminal charges, filed three months later on customs violations, seem aimed at portraying her as a criminal to justify her deportation,” as reported by the Times.
He added, “Not long after the hearing, we were taken aback by the sudden emergence of these serious charges,” referring to the proceedings as suspicious, especially since they followed a bail hearing for Petrova.
The Associated Press contributed.
