Israeli Transgender Ex-IDF Intelligence Officer Faces Deportation After US Kidnapping Conviction
Avishay "Allison" Alon, a transgender Israeli and former elite intelligence officer in Unit 81 of the IDF, is currently facing deportation from the United States after being conditionally released from an American prison. Alon, a computer genius who worked in senior engineering roles at Amazon and Microsoft and founded two startups, was convicted for kidnapping a friend in New Hampshire in September 2024. She suspected the friend, identified only as M.P., of drugging her with the date rape drug GHB and theft. Acting on a suggestion from her friend Brian Levy, Alon held the man captive at her home, interrogating him at gunpoint with two loaded firearms, one equipped with a silencer.
The incident ended when police arrived after a report of a suspicious vehicle near Alon's home, allowing the victim to call for help. Alon was convicted as a male on charges including kidnapping, criminal threats with a dangerous weapon, and possession of drugs found during a search. On July 7, 2025, she was sentenced to two to six years in state prison, while Levy received a one to five-year sentence. After her conviction, Alon initiated a federal lawsuit against the US Bureau of Prisons, claiming violations of her rights due to being held in a men's prison despite identifying as a transgender woman and suffering from gender dysphoria. She demanded transfer to a women's facility and appropriate medical treatment.
Following her prison term, Alon was transferred directly from state custody to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in Folkston, Georgia, on August 20, 2025, after a legal battle over her release eligibility. Although authorities continue to classify her as male, Alon identifies as female. A federal judge ordered a hearing to assess the legality of her detention, but before this could proceed, New Hampshire authorities handed her over to ICE. The basis for her immigration detention and potential deportation remains unclear, with no scheduled date for her removal to Israel announced yet.
Alon's case highlights complex issues involving transgender rights, criminal justice, and immigration enforcement in the US, as she continues to fight for recognition and fair treatment within the legal system.
