Homeward banned; immigration policy creates impact across boarders

This piece received recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists; The SPJ Mark of Excellence regional judges selected this piece as a Finalist in the News Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students category for the 2017 Region 10 Mark of Excellence Awards. After the immigration policy that put a ban on immigration from specific countries, I had the chance to localize a broad, national policy to the GU community by using the personal experience of Karzan Murshd.

Photo Courtesy of Gonzaga Bulletin photographer Kayla Hondo

President Donald Trump’s newly implemented immigration policy has directly impacted some in the GU community.

Currently on hold in the courts, the policy prevents people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days.

Karzan Murshd, a GU student from Iraq, has just been banned from seeing his family. Born and raised in Erbil, Iraq, he cannot go back home.

“There’s no way back [to the U.S.],” Murshd said. “There’s only a one-way ticket.”

People like Murshd, who are here on temporary visas, would be barred from reentering the country if they were to leave. This means that many are stranded away from their family and loved ones.

Since his arrival in 2013, Murshd has only been able to see his family twice in four years. As of now, he is unsure of when he will see them again. 

However, this isn’t the only pain that has come with this immigration ban. 

“We were heartbroken by, or angry by, the distinctions,” Murshd said. “There were so many countries who have made a lot of problems here, on U.S. soil, but they are not on the list. As an Iraqi, or an Iranian or Syrian, we have done nothing wrong here. Zero record. But yet we are on the list.”

The seven countries mentioned in this policy are all predominantly Muslim countries, which has caused questions of discrimination to arise. 

“The U.S., in the history of the world, has always represented certain dreams, values and possibilities that, I think, is going to make it harder for people to think that there is a better place or safer way to live,” said Dr. Naghme Morlock, professor of sociology and criminology and an Iranian national.

Morlock’s dissertation focuses on Iranian refugees and the trauma they experience in the process of fleeing their country and seeking safer homes.

Refugees have been indefinitely barred from entry due to the new immigration policy.

“They call it a country ban but we think it is a Muslim ban,” Murshd said. 

The Trump administration insists the ban is not intended to ban Muslims, but rather, is intended to ban potential threats to national security. 

When announcing the immigration policy, President Trump cited the horrific 9/11 attacks as reason for this ban. However, of the 19 terrorists involved in the attack, none of them came from any of the seven countries listed. 

“Post-9/11 [we’ve] taken everyone on that side of the world and have identified them with the terrorists who committed violence against the United States,” Morlock said. “That’s a tough spot to be in.” 

“[When] you generalize one person to the whole country or whole nation, I think that is the wrong idea,” Murshd said. “They have to reconsider.”

Regardless of the president’s opinion and agenda, Murshd still finds hope in the American people.

“People who showed up in airports and protested definitely [had] an outcome,” Murshd said. “[They] did a great job stopping something unconstitutional and illegal.” 

“It’s hard to speak up for your culture when you’re both dealing with the trauma you have from being victimized by your own people and having to protect yourself from being falsely identified with people who are hateful of the United States,” Morlock said. “Which is neither a reflection of Islam nor Iran.” 

However, thousands of people protested the immigration policy in the weeks after its announcement, resulting in its suspension.

Murshd credits the temporary halt to Trump’s immigration ban as a direct result of the protests that occurred all over the country. 

“I believe that those people know Muslims,” Murshd said. “They know true Muslims. Their neighbors are Muslims, their relatives are Muslim, so they understand.”

Murshd, who is a Muslim, cannot help but be moved by their efforts to cease perceived religious-based discrimination. However, according to Murshd, such discrimination is a result of a lack of knowledge. 

“Other people, their ideas and their objectives are different because they’ve never interacted or seen Muslims,” Murshd said. “They’ve just seen the media. Go do research, go online, and see what is Islam. Talk to Muslims, I’m sure you’d like them, they’re just normal people.”

Terrorism is often attributed to Muslims, yet intrareligious violence is rarely publicized. 

“Muslims killing Muslims is OK, but when it comes to Muslims killing non-believers it is such a big deal,” Murshd said. “That is something that needs to be addressed.”

This piece was published for the Gonzaga Bulletin. For the original post, click here.