Russian-born Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova, who has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since February 16, has been accused of “knowingly” smuggling samples into the US, though it's unclear if her deportation case could proceed.

Split Narrative: Petrova’s attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, told Fox News (Right bias) that Petrova was transporting frog embryos for a professor at a French lab that Harvard was working with and that she was unaware she needed to claim them at customs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said messages on her phone revealed, “She knowingly broke the law and took deliberate steps to evade it.”

Judge’s Opinion: According to Romanovsky, an immigration judge in Louisiana said ICE’s Notice to Appear did not meet legal standards and gave ICE one week to file additional documents in support of deporting Petrova. A hearing has been scheduled for July 22 to decide if the case should proceed.

For Context: Petrova’s visa was canceled when she was detained in May. Romanovsky said they’re now seeking asylum for Petrova, who could be in danger should she have to return to Russia due to her previous protesting of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

How The Media Covered It: Fox News elevated the DHS’ opinion that Petrova “knowingly” committed a crime in its headline. NBC News (Lean Left) focused on the pushback from the immigration judge and Petrova’s merits as a scientist. NBC ran a separate story before the hearing with the immigration judge on Tuesday with the headline, “New images could change cancer diagnostics, but ICE detained the Harvard scientist who analyzes them.”

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