How a 17-year-old Harvard student has become symbolic of the bias of an entire system - The National

[Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju]

https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/how-a-17-year-old-harvard-student-has-become-symbolic-of-the-bias-of-an-entire-system-1.905167

[Justin Dubnow]

This article discusses the US's growing tendency to discriminate and demonize foreigners, especially those of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian descent. The author brings up a particular example in which a 17-year old Palestinian boy was denied entry into the US and had his visa revoked even though he had won a scholarship to attend Harvard University and was only trying to get to college. The author argues that this behavior has especially increased under the Trump administration, evidenced by his denied entry for all Palestinians and his snarky remarks and tweets towards those of foreign descent. I do not agree with this growing tendency to discriminate against foreigners, as the US is a country built on its diversity and its "opportunity for all" reputation. However, with the looming issue of terrorism still plaguing all parts of the world, it is important for superpowers such as the US to keep its borders safe from the danger while not punishing innocent people due to the actions of others. 

Justin Dubnow

On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 2:26:25 AM UTC-5, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju wrote:

https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/how-a-17-year-old-harvard-student-has-become-symbolic-of-the-bias-of-an-entire-system-1.905167

[Alexandra V Rodrigues]

This article, written by Hussein Ibish, is quite frankly a terribly inaccurate piece of literature.  While Ibish's account of what happened to Mr. Ajawwi is accurate in portraying the crude interrogation and wrongful due-process involved, his blaming the administration for what occurred discredits the valid point he is arguing.  What happened to Mr. Ajawwi is in no way a reflection of this administration in terms of reflecting what this administration has prioritized as its foreign policy stance.  The actions of that specific Custom and Border Protection agent do not reflect the administration in a blanketed way, with most students, provided they have a visa, having no problems entering the country regardless of where they come from.  This one case made national headlines because it is just that, one, singular case making it an outlier and the fact that it involved Harvard made it more appealing. 
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Alexandra Rodrigues

[Amber Schriever]

This article explains how a Palestinian-refugee was denied entry into the US to complete his education at Harvard under scholarship. The young man was denied entry due to some of his facebook friends' posts regarding dissatisfaction with certain US policies. Although President Trump's administration claims that these actions were taken to prevent terrorism, it has only increased discrimination against Palestinians. I think the Trump administration should focus on bridging gaps rather than increasing them.

[Aneka Raj]

On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 2:26:25 AM UTC-5, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju wrote:

https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/how-a-17-year-old-harvard-student-has-become-symbolic-of-the-bias-of-an-entire-system-1.905167

This article is a representation of the increasingly hostile atmosphere in America. The case of Ismail Ajjawi is just one example of this country’s attitude towards immigrants and the outside world. The young Palestinian refugee secured a place at Harvard University to start his college education but on his way to Boston, he was denied entry by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Not only was he detained for five hours, but he was also extensively questioned about his religious practices. Eventually, his visa was revoked and he was deported. There were no alarming aspects of his life that suggested a threat to national security, however because of his religion, culture, and home he was stopped from furthering his education at a very prestigious university. 

-Aneka Raj 

[Mitchell Stolle]

This article explores a situation at Harvard that involved discrimination against a Palestinian individual. The article mentioned the oppressive laws that some people still have to face today, such as all the social media usernames you have had in the last five years. This article is relevant to Africa because there are many Muslim-dominant areas in Africa. Discrimination against Muslims affects a large population of immigrants from Africa who may want to come to the United States.

[Kiana Fithian]

This article is a representation of the increasingly hostile atmosphere in America. The case of Ismail Ajjawi is just one example of this country’s attitude towards immigrants and the outside world. The young Palestinian refugee secured a place at Harvard University to start his college education but on his way to Boston, he was denied entry by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Not only was he detained for five hours, but he was also extensively questioned about his religious practices. Eventually, his visa was revoked and he was deported. There were no alarming aspects of his life that suggested a threat to national security, however because of his religion, culture, and home he was stopped from furthering his education at a very prestigious university.

[Noble Nash]

This article describes the immigration experience of Ismail Ajjawi, a Palestinian teenager who was moving to the United States to pursue an education at Harvard University under scholarship. Upon entry to the United States, Ajjawi was thoroughly searched and sent back to his home country because of mutual online friends' anti-American posts on social media. While I do condone the actions of the immigration officers in thoroughly searching and background checking immigrants into the United States, it is obvious this teenager was just a Palestinian in search of a great education provided in the United States. The fact that he was denied entry because he was "associated with Facebook friends who showed clear problems with the American way of life and policies is just plain absurd and unacceptable. On the other hand, while Trump has instituted harsher immigration policies for sure, it is not appropriate to blame his administration for this single instance with immigration officers.

Noble Nash

[Keaontay Ingram]

I personally feel like Ismail is being discriminated against because of where he came from. They searched his phone, computer, and questioned him for hours all to eventually find that someone he follows on social media doesn't agree with US policies. It was unfair to him because he cannot control what people he follows posts or likes or reposts. He made it very clear that he was not agreeing with what was being posted by the follower or even liking her posts and they still denied his access, which led to him not being able to take the scholarship to Harvard. I believe that if he is intelligent enough to earn a scholarship to Harvard he should be able to honor that scholarship and go to school, so I hope that he is allowed to get into the country to go to school.  

[Katherine Serradell]

This article explains the current situation Ismail Ajjawi, a 17-year-old Palestinian refugee, is facing in his attempt to attend Harvard University. Even though he was accepted by the university and had secured a scholarship, he was refused entry into the US by Customs and Border Protection at the airport. Despite being of no threat at all, he was not allowed into the US on the fact that he had friends on social media who were critical of some US policies. This case is just one example of how Palestinians and Muslims face xenophobia, especially under the Trump administration. I like that this article clearly exposes the biases individuals hold due to xenophobia and this deep-seated fear of “mixing”, especially in the US. These fearful people in the US cause more difficulties through their prejudices for those who have already had a hard life. In a perfect world, this antagonism towards Muslims and people from other countries would have been put to an end.

[John Samuel Burleson]

While reading this story, I was split between two opinions. The first one was that I do in fact agree that with the ongoing threat of terrorism in this country, we should take precautions in keeping our borders safe. Our governments main focus should be to protect the citizens of its country. With that being said, this 17-year- old Palestinian refugee did not seem to pose any sort of threat to this country. He seemed like an extraordinarily intelligent young man. The fact that his visa was revoked for no apparent reason makes me sick and ashamed. This act seemed far too aggressive toward a traveler. Why should the “land of the freedom” be treating migrants so poorly? We are the world’s greatest power and I agree with the author’s statement of us acting like a “small, besieged, fearful little country”.

[Shane Moloney]

It is sad but not all that surprising to hear of instances of blatant xenophobia like this since Trump has been president. Being critical of the American government is not against the law, and yet the 17 year old Palestinian was punished for merely being in friends with people on social media who were critical. It is abundantly clear that he was denied entry solely based on his nationality, and this is a very dangerous precedent to set in place. America is the land of immigrants, and to see such a bright young student denied access to American education only because he is Palestinian is truly an injustice.