“Those who say the world is borderless are those who have the right colour passports – or birthplace”- Yassmin

Our incredibly fierce, inspiring, and multi-talented girl Yassmin Abdel Magied has shown nothing but resilience in the face of vicious Islamophobic vitriol from presenters, trolls on all of her socials and across public platforms and international mass media outlets. The Broadcaster, Author, Founder & Engineer, like a phoenix has arisen time and time again in the face of incredibly threatening and unsafe online and offline spaces. Here at Amaliah, we want to extend our public support and urge our community to band together in supporting, and protecting Yassmin, in the online and offline sphere.

Yassmin was physically stopped in her tracks this Wednesday 11th April, as she attempted to fly via the US Minnesota airport to which she stayed for 3 hours.

Roughly three hours since touch down in Minneapolis, I’m on a plane back. Subhanallah. Well, guess that tightening of immigration laws business is working, despite my Australian passport. We’re taking off now. What a time…

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

** if they will let me in. I’m currently at the border and they’ve said I’m being deported. This should be fun. What are my rights ? https://t.co/fv12WoSSwf

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 11, 2018

As the validity of her visa was challenged and Yassmin was stripped of her visa, passport, and phone, and put on a plane to Amsterdam.

Oh yuh and did I mention they took my phone for the whole time? Fortunately I’m a paranoid person – notifications don’t show previews of messages, and a 12 digit passcode. Always be vigilant, yo.

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

They’ve taken my phone, cancelled my visa and are deporting me. Will follow up on messages once I understand what’s going on. https://t.co/uT61v8cZXG

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 11, 2018

Also lol. Funniest thing is that throughout this whole ordeal all I am thinking about is what a good story this will make. We all have ways of dealing with situations.

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 11, 2018

The author, who moved to London after speculatively becoming ‘the most hated woman in the world’  arrived on US soil not too long before the threat of being deported became a reality.  She has never been faced with a rejection of her visa into the US previously, It begs the question why now?

For anyone that doesn’t know, Yassmin, and what her work entails, relays traveling between cities, countries, and continents, ongoingly. As a speaker, and advocate for Muslim women’s rights, raising issues surrounding Muslim women and their identity in the face of Islamophobia it seems her voice was loud and impactful enough to face censorship and limitation. She issued a statement regarding the incident earlier today.

Statement: pic.twitter.com/q70IN9XN48

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

A spokesperson from the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) said Abdel-Magied was – as all international travelers are – assessed for entry into the country. Yassmin was due to speak at the NY festival, on a panel titled “The M Word: No country for young Muslim women”. It is going to take a lot more than deportation to silence a woman that has shown time and time again, that, “speaking in the face of injustice is often difficult – even if, or especially if, one is unprepared for it. But without challenging injustice, we will never progress.” – Yassmin.

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For those who missed it the thread detailing the incident whilst Yassmin was still on US soil:

Interesting facts: within a few min of looking at my case the border security person – Officer Herberg looking at my case she announces: ‘we’re sending you back!’

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Plane is up. See y’all on the other side, inshallah.

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Oh, and they still have my passport. Apparently I can’t be trusted with it until I’m in a foreign country because, as Officer Blees said, ‘planes get turned away back way too often and then…’

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Those who say the world is borderless are those who have the right colour passports – or birthplace. https://t.co/4ErWNrzfJ7

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Yasmin should no longer on the public broadcaster's tax-funded payroll. Self-deportation should also be considered. https://t.co/xqs7ILx2xC

— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) April 25, 2017