Jessica Mendoza

That's Ksenia Petrova. She's a scientist at Harvard Medical School, studying how cells in the human body rejuvenate themselves. But right now, Ksenia is trapped. Instead of calling from her lab in Massachusetts, she's calling from an immigration detention center in Louisiana.

You said you're in your dorm? I see a lot of people behind you.

You said you're in your dorm? I see a lot of people behind you.

You said you're in your dorm? I see a lot of people behind you.

But despite her surroundings, Ksenia seemed in good spirits, laughing nervously. I asked her what life was like in detention.

But despite her surroundings, Ksenia seemed in good spirits, laughing nervously. I asked her what life was like in detention.

But despite her surroundings, Ksenia seemed in good spirits, laughing nervously. I asked her what life was like in detention.

For the last two months, Ksenia has been in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And what led her there was something that normally would have resulted in a fine. Instead, her work visa was taken away, she was detained, and now Ksenia's future is in the hands of an immigration court. Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Jessica Mendoza.

For the last two months, Ksenia has been in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And what led her there was something that normally would have resulted in a fine. Instead, her work visa was taken away, she was detained, and now Ksenia's future is in the hands of an immigration court. Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Jessica Mendoza.

For the last two months, Ksenia has been in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And what led her there was something that normally would have resulted in a fine. Instead, her work visa was taken away, she was detained, and now Ksenia's future is in the hands of an immigration court. Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Jessica Mendoza.

It's Tuesday, April 22nd. Coming up on the show, how a customs dispute landed a world-class scientist in ICE detention.

It's Tuesday, April 22nd. Coming up on the show, how a customs dispute landed a world-class scientist in ICE detention.

It's Tuesday, April 22nd. Coming up on the show, how a customs dispute landed a world-class scientist in ICE detention.

Ksenia Petrova is 30 years old. She was born in Russia, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. She's a specialist in bioinformatics, a discipline that uses both computers and math to analyze biological data. That skill set can be hard to come by in the U.S. And in 2023, Ksenia was offered a job at Harvard Medical School in a lab in the systems biology department.

Ksenia Petrova is 30 years old. She was born in Russia, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. She's a specialist in bioinformatics, a discipline that uses both computers and math to analyze biological data. That skill set can be hard to come by in the U.S. And in 2023, Ksenia was offered a job at Harvard Medical School in a lab in the systems biology department.

Ksenia Petrova is 30 years old. She was born in Russia, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. She's a specialist in bioinformatics, a discipline that uses both computers and math to analyze biological data. That skill set can be hard to come by in the U.S. And in 2023, Ksenia was offered a job at Harvard Medical School in a lab in the systems biology department.

Ksenia moved to the US on a J-1 visa, which allows foreigners to conduct research here. And Ksenia got to work studying frog cells. Xenopus is a type of frog native to sub-Saharan Africa. Their cells are very useful to scientists like Ksenia. Their similarity to human cells make them perfect specimens for studying diseases, genes, and aging.

Ksenia moved to the US on a J-1 visa, which allows foreigners to conduct research here. And Ksenia got to work studying frog cells. Xenopus is a type of frog native to sub-Saharan Africa. Their cells are very useful to scientists like Ksenia. Their similarity to human cells make them perfect specimens for studying diseases, genes, and aging.

Ksenia moved to the US on a J-1 visa, which allows foreigners to conduct research here. And Ksenia got to work studying frog cells. Xenopus is a type of frog native to sub-Saharan Africa. Their cells are very useful to scientists like Ksenia. Their similarity to human cells make them perfect specimens for studying diseases, genes, and aging.

For the past two years, Ksenia has been devoted to her work at the lab in Boston. Her boss said that he'd have to beg her to go home after work. But earlier this year, in February, Ksenia decided to take a break by going to Paris to see a concert.