“Those who say the world is borderless are those who have the right colour passports – or birthplace.”
An Australian Muslim media personality has been denied entry to the United States after border authorities said she was travelling on the wrong visa.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied, who is of Sudanese and Egyptian heritage, was due to speak on a panel in New York City called ‘The M Word: No Country for young Muslim women.’
Read:
The UAE Cabinet just endorsed draft legislation for equal pay
Halima Aden on beauty, authenticity and being a trailblazer
The 27-year-old had flown from London, where she now lives, to Minneapolis ahead of the event. There, her visa was cancelled and she was told she would need to get on a plane back to the UK, the New York Times reported.
Abdel-Magied said that her phone and passport were confiscated.
Those who say the world is borderless are those who have the right colour passports – or birthplace. https://t.co/4ErWNrzfJ7
— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018
Border agents said that Abdel-Magied would be paid to speak at the conference, which was a violation of her visitor’s visa.
They’ve taken my phone, cancelled my visa and are deporting me. Will follow up on messages once I understand what’s going on. https://t.co/uT61v8cZXG
— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 11, 2018
The New York Times reported that Abdel-Magied was travelling on a B1/B2 visa, which allows entry to attend “scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference”. It was the same visa she had used on previous visits.
The B1/B2 visa does not allow “any professional performance before a paying audience”.
Interesting facts: within a few min of looking at my case the border security person – Officer Herberg looking at my case she announces: ‘we’re sending you back!’
— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018
“During the inspection, C.B.P. officers determined this individual did not possess the appropriate visa to receive monetary compensation for the speaking engagements she had planned during her visit to the United States,” the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency said in a statement to the New York Times.
“The traveller is eligible to reapply for a visa for future visits.”
Abdel-Magied has posted a statement to her Twitter page saying she was seeking advice and looked forward to travelling to the US in the future.
Statement: pic.twitter.com/q70IN9XN48
— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018
Abdel-Magied was born in Sudan and moved to Australia with her parents as a baby.
An award-winning author and commentator, she left Australia last year after facing a backlash for comments she made on Anzac Day referring to off-shore detainment camps operated by the country.
Images: Yassmin Abdel-Magied/Twitter
