A British Muslim schoolteacher travelling to New York last week as a member of a school party from south Wales was denied entry to the United States.
Juhel Miah and a group of children and other teachers were about to take off from Iceland on 16 February on their way to the US when he was removed from the plane at Reykjavik. The previous week, on the 10 February, a US appeals court had upheld a decision to suspend Donald Trump’s executive order that temporarily banned entry to the country from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The trip proceeded as planned but pupils and colleagues from Llangatwg comprehensive in Aberdulais were left shocked and distressed after the maths teacher, who had valid visa documentation, was escorted from the aircraft by security personnel.
Miah, 25, from Swansea, said he was made to feel like a criminal and was so worried by what happened to him that he did not eat or sleep for two days. He told Wales Online that shortly before the flight was due to leave he was approached by an official who told him he could not board the plane.
“Everyone was looking at me,” Miah said. “As I was getting my luggage the teachers and kids were confused. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I was being escorted out. It made me feel like a criminal. I couldn’t speak, I was lost for words.
“We got to the airport, and as soon as we got to check in, the lady behind the desk read my passport and then straight away said you’ve been selected for a random security check.
“She took me to the room, made me stand on a stool, take my shoes off, jacket off, checked under my foot, got a swab to brush over my hand and bag, my clothing and school hoodie. They gave me the all clear and then I went. The search was about five minutes. There were five or six people in the room, two searched me.”
He was taken to a hotel. “I was waiting for two hours for a room. It was horrendous. There were holes in the sheets, a dirty bag under the bed, the light wasn’t working and only the lamp was working.
“My phone battery was dying so I went to my suitcase, and that’s when I realised the padlock was missing. It had gone. I was so paranoid, I was scared, I didn’t sleep or eat for two days.”
The school booked him on to a flight back to the UK. The school party was due to return to the UK on 20 February.
The teacher’s employer, Neath Port Talbot council, has written to the US embassy in London demanding an explanation and the issue is being taken up by Welsh politicians.
A council spokesman said Miah was left feeling belittled at what it described as “an unjustified act of discrimination”. The council said the teacher is a British citizen and does not have dual nationality.
The spokesman said: “Juhel Miah was with a party from Llangatwg comprehensive who travelled initially to Iceland en route to New York last week. Mr Miah boarded the onward flight in Reykjavik on 16 February but was escorted from the aircraft by security personnel. While the school trip proceeded as planned, Mr Miah’s removal from the flight left pupils and colleagues shocked and distressed.
“The local authority understands that Mr Miah was refused permission by the United States authorities to fly to New York, despite being issued with a valid visa for travel. Mr Miah is a popular and respected teacher at Llangatwg comprehensive school. He is a Welsh Muslim.
“We are appalled by the treatment of Mr Miah and are demanding an explanation. The matter has also been raised with our local MP.
“No satisfactory reason has been provided for refusing entry to the United States – either at the airport in Iceland or subsequently at the US embassy in Reykjavik. Mr Miah attempted to visit the embassy but was denied access to the building. Understandably he feels belittled and upset at what appears to be an unjustified act of discrimination.”
Trump’s travel ban was unveiled at the end of his first week in office. While the White House insisted that he was fulfilling a campaign promise to toughen vetting procedures for people coming from countries with terror ties, the order caused chaos at airports in the US and sparked protests across the world.
In its original form, the order temporarily suspended all travel to the US for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya for 90 days. The order was put on hold by the courts and a revised version has not yet been signed though it is understood from a draft that the same seven countries will be targeted in it.
Neath Port Talbot council pointed out that UK government advice states: “We have confirmed with the US government that British passport holders (regardless of country of birth or whether they hold another passport/nationality) aren’t affected by the executive order.”
It also drew attention to a statement made by the foreign secretary Boris Johnson at the end of last month in the House of Commons, when he said: “We have received assurances from the US embassy that the executive order will make no difference to any British passport holder, irrespective of their country of birth or whether they hold another passport.”
The council said Miah’s experience casts serious doubts on whether either of the statements could be relied upon.
Neath Labour AM Jeremy Miles said he was appalled to hear about the incident. He said he would be raising the issue with the Welsh government to ask them to make representations to the British government.
The Foreign Office is aware of the case. A spokeswoman said: “We are providing support to a British man who was prevented from boarding a flight in Reykjavik.”
There was no immediate response from the US embassy in London
Agreed, previously it would get overlooked. Now it will be reported more than ever.
Another incident with a non Muslim celebrity in hijab today, pulled to the side at the airport and when they saw the name in the passport, they apologized and told her to take the hijab off. At least she went through what we go through!
We are not getting solutions because we don't want to sacrifice our desires.
Our migration, our stay, our inclination towards tyrants even in Muslim countries, all because we MAY have to lose our luxuries.
Return to basic necessities and we can see the worst tyrant yielding. And the solution is not just a few pious doing this, collectively it must be done.
But it will not happen. Why must I sacrifice my desires.
this is why i supported trump to win. under killary muslims would carried on living like sheep to the slaughter thinking all is well were as with trump too his credit he is makings things more black and white. as for the celebrity i saw the interview and been following her assoication with islam over the past few years. she is a prime example of the hate people have for islam. she was once the darling of hollywood and was excused for their previous lifestyle of clubbing and drugs/drink but when she was seen with Quran in her hand and leaving that lifestyle the very same people who sang her praised sent her vile abuse.
I quote from "maujoodah haalaath mein musalman kya karein"
"Ek aham bath eh hai ke msalmaanoen mein (khaas taur per jahaan musalman aqliyath mein hain aur whaan khathraath aur Aazmaishoen ka imkaan hai) sulah pasandi, sabr o tahammul balke eesaar o fai'yazee ke saath azm o himmath, sabr o sabaath, shuja'ath o dileri ki sifath, raah-e-khuda mein masa'ib bardashath karne aur us per allah ke ajr o sawab ki tam'a aur jannath aur liqa-e-rab ka shauq aur shahadath fi sabeelillah ke fazail ka istehzaar bhi maujood o zindah rahna chaahiye"
"iss ke liye un ko sahabah-e-karam raziallahu anhum ke haalaath aur daeyaane islam ky karnamoen ka muta'liah aur unka sunna sunana jaari rakhna chaahiye, jinhoen ny raah-e-khuda mein badi badi takleefein uthaayeen aur qurbaniyan deen aur as ko afzal-e-aamaal aur qurb-e-khudavandi aur husool-e-jannath ka sub se bada zariah samjha".
"eiskeliye Shaykhul hadith RA ki "Hikayath-e-sahabah" yaa Ali Mian Nadvi RA ki "jab imaan ki bahaar aayee" jaisi kitaboen ke padhhne ka riwaaj masjidoen mein aur gharoen mein daalaa jaaye".
It is important that muslims (in particular for muslims who are in minority, where possibility of dangers and trials exists); make peace, be patient
Moreover with selflessness, generosity, with determination, firmness, bold and be brave;
Ready to tolerate affliction in the path of Allah, and be greedy with rewards from Allah, and with desire of meeting Allah in jannah, and belief in fazail of offering lives in path of Allah; must be alive and present
.
For this we must continue to read or hear about lives of Sahabah RA and heroics of people who invited other towards deen. They tolerated persecutions and offered qurbanis, and took it be the best practice as best source of nearness to Allah and to get Jannah.
For this we must read, both in masjid and in our homes, books like “Hikayath-e-sahabah” by Shaykhul Hadith RA and “Jab imaan ki bahaar aayee” by Shaykh Ali Mian Nadvi RA.
My attempted translation:
It is important that muslims (in particular for muslims who are in minority, where possibility of dangers and trials exists); make peace, be patient
Moreover with selflessness, generosity, with determination, firmness, bold and be brave;
Ready to tolerate affliction in the path of Allah, and be greedy with rewards from Allah, and with desire of meeting Allah in jannah, and belief in fazail of offering lives in path of Allah; must be alive and ever present
For this we must continue to read or hear about lives of Sahabah RA and heroics of people who invited other towards deen. They tolerated persecutions and offered Qurbanis, and took it be the best practice as best source of nearness to Allah and to get Jannah.
For this we must read, both in masjid and in our homes, books like “Hikayath-e-sahabah” by Shaykhul Hadith RA and “Jab imaan ki bahaar aayee” by Shaykh Ali Mian Nadvi RA.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
We apologise but you have been denied access to report posts in this thread. This could be due to excessively reporting posts and not understanding our forum rules. For assistance or information, please use the forum help thread to request more information. Jazakallah
