DULLES, Va. — Nine travelers who were barred from the United States in the hours after President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting travel from seven primarily Muslim countries went into effect are due to arrive at Dulles International Airport, Monday morning.
Tareq and Ammar Aquel Mohammed Aziz, ages 21 and 19, green-card holders from Yemen, will be reunited with their father when they arrive. In addition, the Al Murisi family, with three children from ages 3 to 14 will arrive on the same flight.
The families had initially arrived at Dulles Saturday, Jan. 28, but were denied entry, and required to buy tickets back to Ethiopia, where their flights originated.
“Literally, while they were in the air, the executive order was signed,” said Paul Hughes, of the firm Mayer Brown, who represented travelers in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, in conjunction with the Legal Aid Justice Center.
“The State Department had taken the position that the visas or clients were revoked while they were literally in the air, flying to the United States,” said Hughes. “When they landed at Dulles last Saturday, their visas were marked with a large stamp that said “Cancelled.”
In the interim, the Aziz and Al Masri families have spent several days in Ethiopia, then the country of Djibouti.
Friday, in federal court, Judge Leonie Brinkema allowed Virginia to join the plaintiff’s case against the Trump administration.
Sunday, a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, in San Francisco preserved a Washington judge’s order to temporarily halt the ban.
Additional filings and rulings are expected Monday.
Regardless, Hughes said he has reached an agreement with the government leading to Monday’s expected arrival at Dulles.
Hughes said his clients will be glad to finally clear customs at Dulles, after their third international flight in nine days.
“I think they’re very excited, but they’re also a little weary,” said Hughes. “This has been quite a lengthy ordeal.”
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