‘Why Are You Stopping Me?’: Muhammad Ali Jr. Speaks Out About Airport Detainment
Muhammad Ali Jr. — the son of the late, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali — said he was detained by U.S. customs officials at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for nearly two hours on Feb. 7, USA Today reported.
Speaking publicly about the incident for the first time Monday on CBS This Morning, Ali Jr. said U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials twice asked him to state his religion.
[The officer] said, “What religion are you?” And I said, “Muslim.” He said, “Come with me.” So he took me to another room.
It’s like he didn’t believe me, or whatever. But he asked me again, “What is your name? And what is your religion?” And again I answered.
Ali Jr. was traveling from Jamaica with his mother Khalilah Camacho-Ali, who also appeared on CBS This Morning Monday. They both say they were separated by officials at the airport.
“I was scared,” Camacho-Ali said.
Camacho-Ali was released by officials after she produced a picture of herself with her late ex-husband. Ali Jr. had no picture of his father on him and was detained for further questioning.
“I’m a U.S. citizen,” Ali Jr. said. “You see my state ID. You see my passport. I offered my social security card. So why are you stopping me?”
CBS This Morning host Anthony Mason read a statement provided to the network by CBP — which said “CBP does not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation” — and asked Ali Jr. for his response.
“Then why would you ask me?” Ali Jr. said of the agent who he claims asked his religion.
In an interview with the Louisville Courier-Journal, family friend and lawyer Chris Mancini said that the family believes the incident is a byproduct of the proposed travel ban by President Donald Trump, which restricts travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.
“To the Ali family, it’s crystal clear that this is directly linked to Mr. Trump’s efforts to ban Muslims from the United States,” Mancini said.
Monday on CBS This Morning Camacho-Ali held up the Koran and said she was offering it as a gift to Trump.
“The president should know that we’re a people of peace,” Camacho-Ali said.
Watch above, via CBS.
[featured image via screengrab]
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