Sunday, February 26, 2017

Egyptian-born scholar almost deported from US

It seems that the US authorities are being stricter about whom they are letting into the country, following Donald Trump's 90-day ban on travellers from seven Muslim states. But the detention for 10 hours at Houston airport of a French-Jewish academic born in Egypt is baffling - not least because Egypt is not one of the seven states. JTA reports (with thanks: Michelle): 

Henry Rousso: mistaken for an 'illegal alien'

WASHINGTON (JTA) – U.S. authorities came close to deporting an Egyptian-born French Jewish Holocaust-era scholar on his way to speak at a symposium at Texas A&M University.

Henry Rousso was detained for ten hours starting Wednesday evening in Houston. The university enlisted one of its law professors who specializes in immigrant rights to intervene, The Eagle, a news site covering the Bryan-College Station area, where the university is located, reported on Saturday.

The newspaper reported that there was a “misunderstanding” regarding Rousso’s visa, leading authorities to classify him as an illegal alien.
Rousso confirmed his ordeal on Twitter.

Read article in full 

BBC report 

Guardian article 

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