Iraqi Man at JFK Has Been Released After Being Detained at Airport
One of the individuals detained at JFK overnight following President Trump‘s executive order on immigration has been released.
Two New York Democratic members of Congress, Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velazquez, went to JFK to try and help out the people detained at the airport:
At JFK now with @NydiaVelazquez to help refugees detained by Trump's shameful order. pic.twitter.com/jiN5bWBfnw
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) January 28, 2017
At #JFK with @RepJerryNadler demanding release of refugees detained under new Executive Order. pic.twitter.com/4hcEarfrjw
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) January 28, 2017
They also held a press conference decrying Trump’s executive order (clip above, via MSNBC.)
One of the individuals detained at the airport was Iraqi man Hameed Khalid Darweesh. Lawyers were quick to file a motion to get him and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi released. The New York Times features the following information about Darweesh:
Mr. Darweesh worked with the Americans in Iraq in a variety of jobs — as an interpreter, an engineer and a contractor.
He worked as an interpreter for the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Baghdad and Mosul starting shortly after the invasion of Iraq on April 1, 2003. The filing said he had been directly targeted twice for his work with the United States military.
Well, after Nadler and Velazquez showed up at the airport, Darweesh ended up being released.
He briefly spoke to the press, expressing his gratitude and talking about how much he loves America. Darweesh was also asked if he has anything to say about the president.
You can watch his response the video above, via CNN.
Darweesh was one of a dozen people reportedly being detained inside the airport.
[image via screengrab]
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