immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

Asmaa Ahmed and National Council Canadian Muslims

Firas Al-Rawi: The family had taken numerous trips to the United States by air and car without incident, according to Guelph Mercury. Insert into DNN Social Conversation: "My kids were so excited, and they were counting down the days for the trip," said Al-Rawi, 48, an Iraqi who immigrated to Canada with his family in 2006 via Qatar, where he and his wife, Asmaa Ahmed, both worked as physicians. Firas Al-Rawi, an emergency room doctor at Toronto General Hospital, said he booked the Family Day holiday trip in early December so his wife and children could join him at a professional conference in Orlando that week. They and their children are all citizens who hold Canadian passports. According to the National Council of Canadian Muslims, 14 per cent of the 182 human rights complaints it received between 2011 and 2013 involved travel restrictions to the U.S. On Feb. 13, the family arrived at Pearson International Airport three hours ahead of their 5 p.m. flight. The Al-Rawis became part of the 330 or more travellers a day who are refused entry to the United States under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives border officials the right to refuse admission of non-Americans — including Canadian citizens. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.