Congressman Cohen Leads Letter Seeking Release of Russian Research Scientist

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today led a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency with seven Congressional colleagues seeking the release from ICE detention of Kseniia Petrova, a Russian research scientist working at Harvard University Medical School.

The letter reads in part:

“We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the detention of Ms. Kseniia Petrova, a Russian citizen and researcher at Harvard Medical School. She was legally in the United States on a J-1 scholar visa but is being held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility after her visa was revoked. She is currently awaiting her preliminary hearing before an immigration judge on May 7, 2025.

“Ms. Petrova was detained after a paperwork mistake on the US customs declaration form for a box of frog embryo samples she was asked by her boss to bring back to her lab at Harvard. As a result, her visa was revoked, and she was detained after unfounded claims that she is a ‘danger to the community’ and a ‘fight risk.’ She has done nothing to risk our country’s security and has not done anything wrong except try to facilitate a request by her employer to bring the embryos back. While she did make a mistake, the penalty for improperly importing this non-toxic, nonhazardous frog material is a fine of up to $500, not detention or deportation.

“We are concerned that deporting Ms. Petrova to Russia would endanger her life. She has good reason to fear political retaliation for bravely protesting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and calling for his impeachment. Additionally, she is reportedly being held with at least 70 other detainees in the same cell. Without evidence to support claims she is a flight risk or danger to the community, we strongly urge you to give due consideration to her request for release on parole while her case is pending.

“Ms. Petrova is a highly skilled researcher, and the U.S. greatly benefits from the work she does. She is the kind of person we want to come to the U.S. and help us in our scientific study where she has been recognized for diligence and dedication. Her continued detention is a great loss to the Harvard community and to our country.”

See the entire letter here.

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