Yassine, a Moroccan student, was recently arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Agency (ICE) and placed in a detention center in Virginia, pending his expulsion to Morocco.
According to sources from the Moroccan community in the United States, the Moroccan student, holding a study visa, was arrested after arguing with his girlfriend, a student also of Moroccan origin. The young man is now threatened with expulsion.
A lawyer explains that Yassine could request a voluntary departure from the United States with the possibility of a return within five years if he is not considered as persona non grata. But if he is expelled, he will have to wait ten good years before trying a return to the country of Uncle Sam.
-To read: why the trip of Moroccans to the United States can turn into a nightmare
In addition, many Moroccans have recently been prohibited from entering US territory for having previously visited countries on a black list of the United States, such as Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. These Moroccans have seen their visa requests rejected, without reason.
These measures harm the artists, researchers and journalists who travel for professional reasons. This is the case of Moroccan artist Abdelhafid Douzi who was recently prevented from entering the United States due to a previous professional trip to Iraq.
