Detroit family caught in Trump's travel ban loses sick mother waiting to come home

Image
ANI Detroit (Michigan) [USA]
Last Updated : Feb 01 2017 | 11:07 AM IST

A family from Detroit became the latest victim of President Donald Trump's ban on immigration and travel from seven predominately Muslim nations as the mother of a local business owner died as she could not return to the U.S. for treatment.

According to a report by Fox 2, the businessman, Mike Hager, flew to Iraq to bring his mother back home to the U.S. for medical treatment. But he was forced to leave his family behind under President Trump's ban.

His mother died just one day after being told that she couldn't return to the United States.

Hager was born in Iraq and fled during the Gulf War. He lived in a refugee camp with his family for four years before settling in the United States. In the 2000s, he returned to Iraq where he worked as a contractor for the U.S .Special Forces between 2003 and 2008 as an interpreter and cultural advisor.

Hager, who now owns a business in Metro Detroit, said that his mom would still be alive if Trump had not instituted his travel ban on Muslim countries.

Hager, along with his family, was returning to the United States where his mother has lived since 1995. As they were waiting in line at the airport in Iraq on Friday, he was told that he could pass through because he was a U.S. citizen. But his family members - including his mom - weren't allowed, despite holding green cards.

"They destroyed us. I went with my family, I came back by myself. They destroyed our family," Hager said.

"The immigration told us that the President of the United States put an order right now - you guys cannot go," he said.

Hager said he didn't expect it to be a problem for the family to travel since they all had green cards and had lived in the United States for 20 years.

Last Friday, Trump signed an executive order that indefinitely barred Syrian refugees from entering the country, suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days and blocked citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, refugees or otherwise, from entering the United States for 90 days: Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

The ban has been met with protests and condemnation worldwide.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 01 2017 | 11:07 AM IST

Next Story