Clemson Ph.D. grad and data modeler Nazanin Zinouri has been disallowed entry in the U.S.
This comes shortly after an executive order signed by President Trump. The order banned citizens of seven Muslim countries from entering the U.S. within the next 90 days. The countries include Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
“I normally don’t write long posts or any kind of political or religious comments …” Zinouri wrote in a Facebook post made earlier Saturday afternoon. “But today I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.”
On Zinouri’s Facebook, the Tiger alumna detailed her story of returning home to visit her family in Iran on Jan. 22.
“We were all happy. I was going to eat lots of delicious Persian food and make tons of great memories and go back to my life in the US.”
However, with the news of President Trump’s plans for immigration reform, Zinouri had some anxieties.
“On Wednesday, we started hearing rumors about new executive orders that will change immigration rules for some countries including Iran. Soon we started reading drafts like everyone else. I might be banned from going back?!?! [sic] No that can’t be true.”
Booking a flight to leave her family early, Zinouri made it to her flight in Dubai within the United Arab Emirates before learning that she would not be returning to South Carolina.
“After waiting in the line to get my documents checked and after 40 minutes of questions and answers, I boarded the plane to Washington, only to have two TSA officers getting in and ask me to disembark the plane!!! Yes after almost 7 years of living the the United States, I got deported!!! [sic],” Zinouri wrote.
Many have taken to social media to express their desires to have Zinouri return.
Look to The Tiger for more updates throughout the week.