Abramian had written character references from several professors at Northeastern University, where he has worked as a security guard since 1998 and recently completed his masters degree in political science.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, who is now a professor at Northeastern, was among those writing letters.
"I have no doubt he is, and will continue to be, a responsible member of our community," Dukakis wrote in a letter obtained by the Boston Herald.
But Sheppard ruled that Abramian would not suffer persecution if he returned to Russia.
Abramian's case will now go before the U.S. Department of Justice's Board of Immigration Appeals.
Rick Kenney, a spokesperson for the Executive Office for Immigration Review said that most cases take several years before they are reviewed, but that decisions are usually not overturned.
"If the original court crossed it's t's and dotted all the i's, there usually is no grounds for overturning a decision," Kenney said. "But it's all on a case-by-case basis."
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