My sad and bad experience at the airport today
Long hours of so called security clearance as I arrived at Detroit airport!
After speaking at a global peace summit in Seoul- I was happy to arrive home to see my family and get ready for Friday prayer and happily talk about my great experince in South Korea!
Right after landing in the Detroit international airport, I heard a Delta flight attendant asking for all passengers to stay seated since the security will call some passengers first!
The door opened but only one name was called.
Passenger Mohammad Ali Elahi!
I walked through the isle and surprised to see almost 10 officers waiting to welcome me.
Among them, 2 officers without uniforms politely asked me to walk with them.
Being an American citizen and living in this country for almost 3 decades, I sat in an immigration room and was questioned like someone who just arrived in this country from a foreign land.
Every little items from my pockets, suitcase and luggage were carefully checked!
At the end I was asked to give my cellphone security passcode, I was told that my phone will be given back to me in ten minutes, it took more than an hour!
Obviously, an hour of waiting in a room, while my family is waiting outside with concern, sounds like ten hours!
I was not told what they were looking for, while checking my cellphone which carries my thousands of emails, WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and text messages, but if the purpose was to scan all the information, it would take more than ten minutes!
Since the process lasted long, I picked up a book and made my self busy reading for a while!
One of the officers was interested to know my opinion on killing of General Solaimani in Iraq, something I had already explained in my public letter to the president following the assassination!
I felt so sad and heartbroken not for myself but for a country I love!
Is this how a faith servant, an ambassador of peace, a promoter of dialogue, a person whose life is dedicated to modesty, moderation, and call against extremism, terrorism and injustice, treated after 12 hours of flight and a week of restless outreach and hard work?
Yes we all deserve better than this!
If this is the reality of the situation in America then Trump’s propaganda about progress and making America great again, during his State of the Union speech last Tuesday sounded like fake news!
When I was called to the podium in South Korea to address thousands of religious, education, busness and social leaders from all over the world, the moderator called me an imam and a patriotic American!
Very embarrassing and shameful if this administration or any other administration would insult its own patriotic Citizens in such a crazy way .
Everyday we hear about the unjust treatments that the innocent visitors from Iran, Lebanon or some other countries receive at the airports but now this is not a visitor but someone who has been part of and contributing to this country for 30 years!
Yet let’s not lose hope and trust on the conscience of our country and it’s so many dignified people
Although I was extremely disappointed of the whole procedure, I was happy how those two officers did their best to communicate with me politely and professionally!
That was not their decision to stop me and keep me waiting after a long tiring trip!
Most probably the order came from their commanders in D.C who care about their personal agenda, more than integrity of America and civil rights of its citizens!
Hope to see you all tomorrow for Friday prayer to hear about our great contributions to the Seoul Peace Summit, addressing the same summit addressed by leaders such as former United Nations Secretary General, Dr. Ban Ki-moon and tens of other world famous figures!
وَقَالَ مُوسَى يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ * فَقَالُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴾ [يونس: 84، 85].