Midlands Couple Affected by Travel Ban
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)- A Midlands couple is still struggling with getting their relatives to America after Trump’s executive order was placed on a temporary hold.
Vahid Tavaf and Minoo Atabi have been living in Columbia for two years and are expecting their first child.
“We are ordinary people and we had a dream to come to the United States,” Tavaf said.
Their dream deferred, after President Trump’s executive order banned visitors from seven majority Muslim countries.
“Suddenly I got an email from United States Embassy in Dubai and they canceled our appointment,” Tavaf said.
The ban now in the hands of the 9th circuit court of appeals after a federal judge in Seattle stopped the President’s immigration order nationwide.
The Tavaf family said the temporary halt still doesn’t make it easy for their loved ones to get here. Vahid told ABC Columbia news that his parents have to meet with the US Embassy in Dubai at the end of February.
“We were upset and angry simultaneously,” Tavaf said. “I think its not fair. This rule says that ‘we want to protect the United States people from the terrorist activity’ but people who live in my country do not have any terrorist activity in the United States.”
Vahid’s parents are supposed to fly in to help with the couple’s first baby.
Minoo said she is hurt by them being stuck in Iran because she wants their child to be surrounded by family.
“I’m upset because this is our first child and we need help because we don’t have any experience taking care of a baby,” Minoo said.
The couple said this is not the America they expected.
“Don’t tear apart a family, or deprive us from seeing our families,” Vahid said. “Iranian people in the United States don’t have any terror activity, they are researchers, doctors, scientist, like me actually.”
Vahid said he hopes the court does not reinstate the President’s executive order because he doesn’t want to have to explain to his child why he can not see his grandparents.
