British Teacher Removed From NYC-Bound Flight Without Explanation
Jackie Reddy February 22, 2017
Juhel Miah, a British-born teacher, was accompanying children from his school when he was removed off the flight by U.S. officials at Iceland’s Keflavík International Airport (KEF) last week.
Juhel Miah, a British schoolteacher removed from an NYC-bound flight in Iceland last week by American officials, has told of his anger and humiliation at the incident. Speaking to the Guardian, Miah said that he believes that he was targeted because he is Muslim.
Miah, who was born in Birmingham, England and now teaches math at a school in Wales, was escorting a party of pupils on a trip to America at the time of the incident. Having flown from the UK, the group were making their U.S.-bound connection when, as Miah explained to the paper, problems began.
“I gave one of the American officials there my passport. My first name is Mohammed. It felt as if straight away she looked up and said: ‘You’ve been randomly selected for a security check.’,” Miah said.
Miah then described to the paper how he was taken into a room and searched. Only after this extensive search was complete was Miah allowed to board his flight along with the rest of his party.
However, once on the plane, Miah was approached by an American official. “She asked: ‘Are you Mohammed Miah? You need to come with me.’ She took me to the front of the plane and escorted me off,” he said.
Miah, who held a valid visa for entry into the U.S., said that the official was unable to provide a reason for his removal from the flight. “No one could give me an explanation. The only thing I can put it down to unfortunately – I hope I’m wrong – is because I’m a Muslim,” he said.
Miah attempted to make contact with the U.S. embassy in Iceland in order to raise his case, but his efforts were unfruitful.
While he has since returned to the UK, Miah is still baffled as to why he was denied entry into America. He has never visited any of the seven countries included in President Trump’s travel ban.
The paper reports that American authorities have not offered clarification on the incident.
[Photo: Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures]
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Very few people from the UK actually fly with a Visa. They mainly have ESTA which is a Visa Waiver Program. This in effect also means they can be declined entry at anytime. Likely this will turn out to be another duplicate name on the "No Fly List". Of course any USA Citizen can visit the UK for up to 3 months without any prior application requirement. The only problem is that upon arrival a very small number ask for Political asylum and then are accommodated at the Taxpayers expenses until its declined, usually after 6 months Rarely is it for Political reasons, its often for Free Medical Treatment. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jan/25/americans-claim-asylum-britain
The article says he's never visited any of the forbidden countries and that he had a valid visa. It appears someone in Iceland didn't get the memo that it's " not a muslim ban". 🙄
What "American Officials" are in Iceland? There is no pre-clearance so I don't know of why it would be an American Official other than Icelandic Security?
Or maybe this is a result of Obama's 2015 order preventing travel to US for visa waiver participants that have visited countries of concern such as Syria, Iran, Iraq etc. Don't be so quick to blame Trump (I don't support him, but it doesn't help anyone's case if they immediately blame him when it could be due to something enacted by his predecessor)
Just another example of President Trumps "Well Oiled Machine" LOL