Travel ban: father of dying child pleads with officials to allow mum into the U.S

The father of a dying child on Monday made a passionate appeal to United States officials to issue a waiver to President Trump’s travel ban.

This will allow the boy’s mother to be reunited with her son in the U.S.

Ali Hassan delivered an emotional speech at press conference in Sacramento.

“Thank you to everyone for being here today. I’m here today because my son Abdullah needs his mother.

My wife is calling me every day, wanting to kiss and hold her son….for one last time. Time is. Time is running out. Please help us get my family together again.

As you know, my wife was denied a return to the U.S. to see her son. My son Abdullah is only two years old. We celebrated his birthday just two days ago. So I am here today for your support and help to bring my family together for the one last time. Thank you”, Hassan said.

His wife is a Yemeni national and thus not allowed into the U.S since the Supreme Court upheld President Trump’s ban from Muslim-majority countries. They include Libya, Somalia, Iran, Syria and Yemen.

“Now we see the Muslim ban’s effect in the most dehumanizing way and we are running out of time. We are calling for the department of state to issue a Muslim ban waiver to allow Shaima, the wife of a U.S. citizen, the mother of a U.S. citizen to hold her child one last time and to allow her to mourn with dignity. We are ready to fly her out at a moment’s notice, as soon as we receive this waiver to fly her out of Cairo to San Francisco…hopefully today”, said Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of the council on American-Islamic relations, Sacramento Valley.

Hassan’s 2-year old son, Abdullah suffers a rare brain disease. He is not expected to survive and the family has postponed removing him from life support so his mother could see him.

No public remarks have been made about the family’s request by the U.S State Department.

Reuters