Iranian Cancer Researcher Detained under Trump’s Travel Ban: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian cancer researcher traveling to the US to help sick children has been detained at Logan International Airport in Boston in the wake of President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, a report said.
Dr. Mohsen Dehnavi holds a visiting work visa that was issued in May and planned to work as a scholar at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Boston Globe’s science publication STAT News reported.
His wife and three small children, ages 6, 3 and 7 months, were also held after landing in Boston Monday afternoon.
Late last month, the US Supreme Court allowed a revised version of Trump’s travel ban to take effect, banning migrants from six countries, including Iran, from entering the US.
The court ruled that the ban could not apply to travelers who already had valid visas.
Dehnavi holds a J-1 visa, which is designated for researchers and other academics partaking in visiting scholar programs.
It’s not clear why Dehnavi and his family are being detained — but they’ll likely be deported back to Iran Tuesday, the hospital said.
“Boston Children’s hopes that this situation will be quickly resolved and Dr. Dehnavi and his family will be released and allowed to enter the US,” hospital spokesman Rob Graham said.
