Arab Americans March on Airports Across the U.S. to Protest Trump's Executive Orders
Noor Hindi and Sham Najjar, who were born in the US of Syrian parents, demonstrate against the immigration ban imposed by President Trump at Los Angeles International Airport (AFP)BY: Michelle Dermarkar/Ambassador Blogger and Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer
Amidst a week of uncertainty and fear following President Trump’s executive orders banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from Syria, an outpouring of support for immigrants has swept across many of the major U.S. cities, as protesters gathered in airports and in front of the White House over the weekend.
The international outcry has been similarly strong, as foreign leaders have condemned President Trump’s actions, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who vowed to accept any refugees the United States turns away.
In response to these travel bans, seen by some as an anti-Muslim approach, many in the Arab American community have come out in protest of President Trump and his policies. Gathering across the country, Arab Americans are uniting with their non-Arab neighbors to request the release of those detained at airports and spread welcoming messages.
Arab Americans like Laith Elias, who attended an airport protest in Philadelphia on Saturday night, saw the need for action and unity.
“We learned that a Syrian family had been deported earlier that day and that other people were being detained at the airport,” Laith told Arab America. “People gathered with no organization and little notice. It made the resolve of everyone there that much greater.”
Philadelphia International Airport protest. Photo courtesy of Laith Elias.Laith joined upwards of 200 other Arab Americans at the Philadelphia airport. High-level officials also attended, including Governor Tom Wolf, Senator Bob Casey, Mayor Jim Kenney, and Congressman Bob Brady.
“We’re already in a climate of hate and bigotry, and now a travel and Muslim ban – if that does not mobilize us, it is hard to imagine what will. This is the time to stand up and stand up together,” Laith said with hope.
Protesters and civic leaders throughout the country calling for unity and acceptance of all races and religion echoed this sentiment. At the Los Angeles International Airport, members of the Arab American Civic Council joined thousands of protesters to fight against Trump’s executive orders and plan to build a wall on the Southern border.
Rashad al-Dabbagh, who attended the Los Angeles protest, said “Arab Americans of all countries of origin and denominations, including Muslims and Christians, were present at LAX to reject the ban on refugees and immigrants.”
Rashad joined the outpour of protesters to help alleviate some of the suffering felt by targets of the executive orders. “Our response at LAX was not only limited to direct action, but we also assisted by providing translators to refugee families including an Iraqi family, of which the mother was diagnosed with cancer and detained for six hours,” recalled Rashad.
Mayasah Witwit, a cancer patient, was detained for six hours at LAX without her medication because she is Iraqi. She was eager to return home to Los Angeles on Sunday and be reunited with her husband and their four children. Image Credit: LA TimesArab Americans at LAX also reached out to the media to share the story of the Iraqi refugee family. Afterwards, the Arab American community held two press conferences alongside coalition partners “to send a strong message that we’re united in a beautiful resistance against hate and bigotry,” said Rashad.
And in Detroit, home to the country’s largest concentration of Arab Americans, thousands marched on the city’s airport to protest the immigration ban and wait for the release of family members being detained under the executive orders.
In one touching moment during Sunday’s airport rally, Detroiters offered their signs to Muslim protesters who did not have rugs for the Magrib (evening) prayer.
Today, at Detroit Metro Airport, protesters made room for Muslims to pray.
They used protest signs as prayer mats.#nomuslimban pic.twitter.com/8SW8Pphhbo
— Diana Hussein (@heyadiana) January 30, 2017
Pressure from protesters and members of both parties has been mounting on the Trump administration to undue these immigration restrictions. However, President Trump is defending the mandates set forth late last week as necessary national security measures.
More protests are planned across the country this coming weekend, as groups work to bring about a humane resolution.
