Current Events > Harvard freshman deported because of other people's Facebook posts

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https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/8/27/incoming-freshman-deported/#.XWTG5epzJI0.twitter

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 Ajjawis 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 students 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 Ajjawis. 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.

The same officer then asked him to unlock his phone and laptop, and left to search them for roughly five hours, Ajjawi alleges. After the search, the officer questioned him about his friends social media activity.

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, he wrote. After the 5 hours ended, she called me into a room , and she started screaming at me. She said that she found people posting political points of view that oppose the US on my friend[s] list.

Ajjawi wrote that he told the officer he had not made any political posts and that he should not be held responsible for others posts.

I responded that I have no business with such posts and that I didn't like, [s]hare or comment on them and told her that I shouldn't be held responsible for what others post, he wrote. I have no single post on my timeline discussing politics.

The officer then canceled Ajjawis visa, informed him he would be deported, and allowed him a phone call to his parents.

Though Ajjawis situation is rare among Harvard undergraduates, in 2017 two graduate students faced similar challenges due to a then-effective travel ban instituted by the Trump Administration. Those students eventually entered the U.S. after weeks and months in limbo, respectively, and the University warned international students not to leave the country.

Why are we doing this
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We live in an era of punitive politics
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This is 100% trump's fault.
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FrEe SpEeCh
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Trump sucks and is racist
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His friends obviously committed thoughtcrime which is just about the worst thing you can do
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TreyFlowers posted...

thoughtcrime

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Good. The officer was right here and he should be rewarded with a raise.

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MC_BatCommander posted...

TreyFlowers posted...

thoughtcrime

I mean, it pretty much is
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Moral of this story? Be careful who you associate with on social media.
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Prismsblade posted...

Moral of this story? Don't have friends that question The Party.

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Do you guys think Trump did him a favor? I mean Harvard isn't cheap. And what are the chances he was gonna pay back his student loan on his English degree anyway?
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SauI_Goodman posted...

Do you guys think Trump did him a favor? I mean Harvard isn't cheap. And what are the chances he was gonna pay back his student loan on his English degree anyway?

Nobody thinks that.
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"Applicants must demonstrate they are admissible into the U.S. by overcoming ALL grounds of inadmissibility including health-related grounds, criminality, security reasons, public charge, labor certification, illegal entrants and immigration violations, documentation requirements, and miscellaneous grounds," McCarthy wrote. "This individual was deemed inadmissible to the United States based on information discovered during the CBP inspection.

There you go.

Literal evil

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Trumps America is a racist shithole not shocking
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Maybe we should actually punish those in the police and military who happen to have white supremacist friends on Facebook

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Questionmarktarius posted...

"Applicants must demonstrate they are admissible into the U.S. by overcoming ALL grounds of inadmissibility including health-related grounds, criminality, security reasons, public charge, labor certification, illegal entrants and immigration violations, documentation requirements, and miscellaneous grounds," McCarthy wrote. "This individual was deemed inadmissible to the United States based on information discovered during the CBP inspection.

There you go.

"miscellaneous grounds" is hardly a sufficient reason to detain and deport someone
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thronedfire2 posted...

Questionmarktarius posted...

"Applicants must demonstrate they are admissible into the U.S. by overcoming ALL grounds of inadmissibility including health-related grounds, criminality, security reasons, public charge, labor certification, illegal entrants and immigration violations, documentation requirements, and miscellaneous grounds," McCarthy wrote. "This individual was deemed inadmissible to the United States based on information discovered during the CBP inspection.

There you go.

"miscellaneous grounds" is hardly a sufficient reason to detain and deport someone

Apparently, it is though.