Incoming Harvard Freshman Deported After Visa Revoked

[Anonymous]

Poor kid. He was in the country for all of 8 hours before he was deported.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/8/27/incoming-freshman-deported/

While most Harvard freshmen settle into their dorms Tuesday, one new student, Ismail B. Ajjawi ’23, faces ongoing negotiations with immigration officers to allow him to enter the United States and study at the College.

U.S. officials deported Ajjawi, a 17-year-old Palestinian resident of Tyre, Lebanon, Friday night shortly after he arrived at Boston Logan International Airport. Before canceling Ajjawi’s visa, immigration officers subjected him to hours of questioning — at one point leaving to search his phone and computer — according to a written statement by Ajjawi.

University officials are currently working to resolve the matter before classes begin on Sept. 3, University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain wrote in an email.

“The University is working closely with the student’s family and appropriate authorities to resolve this matter so that he can join his classmates in the coming days,” he wrote.

Harvard both employs immigration lawyers at the Office of the General Counsel and staffs the Harvard International Office. Both groups work to resolve visa-related problems like Ajjawi’s. Ajjawi wrote that he has been in contact with HIO Director of Immigration Services Maureen Martin.

Ajjawi wrote that he has also contacted AMIDEAST, the non-profit organization that awarded him a scholarship to study in the U.S., which is now providing him legal assistance.

Spokespersons for the State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ajjawi wrote that he spent eight hours in Boston before he was required to leave. Upon arrival, Ajjawi faced questioning from immigration officials along with several other international students. While the other students were allowed to leave, Ajjawi alleges an immigration officer continued to question him about his religion and religious practices in Lebanon.

[Anonymous]

Trump's America.

[Anonymous]

Hilarious

[Anonymous]

““When I asked every time to have my phone back so I could tell them about the situation, the officer refused and told me to sit back in [my] position and not move at all,”

There is no right to be provided entrance into the US. Whatever ‘situation’ he felt he needed to explain after a review of his computer and phone apparently was enough to bar entry while all the other student were allowed to enter.

He can explain from his home country and request to try again.

I see nothing wrong with this.

[Anonymous]

Good. More room for US citizens at our universities.

[Anonymous]

Having first hand knowledge of living in Tyr, I find that there’s something missing in the story. Since the student is described as Palestinian from Lebanon, he does not possess any legal passport. It’s a messed up situation with all the Palestinians that had to leave their birthplace over 60 years ago. Those born and raised in the south of Lebanon did not have any legal status. Even after completing their law/ medical/ or engineering studies in the USSR, they were unable to work legally even if they managed to get back to Lebanon. Things are better now and finally Lebanese Palestinians are able to be legal residents. However applying to Harvard, mastering enough English, getting a scholarship from AmidEast seems surreal. In fact I asked several students currently at AUB about AmidEast, and move had heard about it.
I wish

[Anonymous]

This is pp. Apologies, I meant to say most had not heard of it and those who had were very surprised to hear that AmidEast granted scholarships to study in the USA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hilarious

Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:““When I asked every time to have my phone back so I could tell them about the situation, the officer refused and told me to sit back in [my] position and not move at all,”

There is no right to be provided entrance into the US. Whatever ‘situation’ he felt he needed to explain after a review of his computer and phone apparently was enough to bar entry while all the other student were allowed to enter.

He can explain from his home country and request to try again.

I see nothing wrong with this.

That reflects more negatively for you than anything else.

Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having first hand knowledge of living in Tyr, I find that there’s something missing in the story. Since the student is described as Palestinian from Lebanon, he does not possess any legal passport. It’s a messed up situation with all the Palestinians that had to leave their birthplace over 60 years ago. Those born and raised in the south of Lebanon did not have any legal status. Even after completing their law/ medical/ or engineering studies in the USSR, they were unable to work legally even if they managed to get back to Lebanon. Things are better now and finally Lebanese Palestinians are able to be legal residents. However applying to Harvard, mastering enough English, getting a scholarship from AmidEast seems surreal. In fact I asked several students currently at AUB about AmidEast, and move had heard about it.
I wish

The situation for Palestinians living in Syria is similar. When they fled during the war they had no citizenship papers for any country and it is impossible for most to emigrate.

[Anonymous]

Amideast works very closely with the State Department. This story makes no sense and shows how completely disorganized our Executive Branch is. Heaven help us if we ever have any kind of crisis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amideast works very closely with the State Department. This story makes no sense and shows how completely disorganized our Executive Branch is. Heaven help us if we ever have any kind of crisis.

This was my thought as a former consular officer as well. What is the point of training and employing consular officers only to reverse their decisions?

[Anonymous]

How cruel to issue the kid a student visa and then revoke it once he spent all the money and time to get here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:““When I asked every time to have my phone back so I could tell them about the situation, the officer refused and told me to sit back in [my] position and not move at all,”

There is no right to be provided entrance into the US. Whatever ‘situation’ he felt he needed to explain after a review of his computer and phone apparently was enough to bar entry while all the other student were allowed to enter.

He can explain from his home country and request to try again.

I see nothing wrong with this.

That reflects more negatively for you than anything else.

Sad.

Or just a difference of opinion from yours

The fact that you don’t see that reflects on your myopic view of the world.

Sad.

[Anonymous]

Consular officers have been known to make some egregious mistakes. Just sayin'