Comment by Andromeda321 on 30/01/2017 at 23:04 UTC*

1941 upvotes, 18 direct replies (showing 18)

View submission: An Open Letter to the Reddit Community

Astronomer here! I just had a colleague in the Netherlands who is a kickass astronomer forced to turn down an invited talk to a prestigious institute in the USA. Which would be an *amazing* career boost and really help out science in the USA as well... *but* he happens to be Iranian in addition to Dutch, because his father is, so he can't come give his invited talk. This is so fucking awful on so many levels.

My own family's immigrant story because you asked: I am a first generation American, born from Hungarian parents. My father was born in a refugee camp in Austria after WW2- his first crib was a flour crate, my grandfather with two PhDs worked in a rock quarry for pennies, and they got sponsored to Canada when my dad was 3. At the time the USA also discriminated against nationalities for immigration- my family was on the "losing side" of WW2 so were not allowed entry even though they were against the war, of course. But my father moved to the USA with his family in high school the year the law was changed (my grandfather immediately got university teaching jobs until he died), and my dad started a small business that provided for many Americans many times over the initial investment.

My mom came over in the 1980s, as a defector from communism, and married my father. So basically turning her back on her home, at the time with no idea on when she'd ever return. She ultimately got a graduate degree in education and raised some pretty awesome children who are productive citizens (if I may say so), and we are all proud to be Americans.

It makes me so sad now to know that there is right now the equivalent of my father as a Syrian kid out there right now, for whom once again the door is closed.

Edit: a lot of people are saying my colleague should just enter on his second passport. Well guys, when you apply to come to the USA they ask you to list *all* your nationalities and said visa is typically good for a few years (for European ETSA stuff at least). Not sure when my colleague applied, but when he did he did not want to break the law and was truthful on his application about multiple citizenships. And now he's supposed to fly out next week, but no airline would dream of flying him because he would likely be turned back at the border because of info in his visa that he's also Iranian.

This is one of literally thousands of stories out there. It's not exceptional. Stop acting like he is the problem instead of a stupid, ill-crafted order in the first place.

Replies

Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 01:05 UTC*

191 upvotes, 5 direct replies

[deleted]

Comment by jimngo at 31/01/2017 at 03:54 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

he did not want to break the law and was truthful on his application about multiple citizenships.

If they even get a whiff of dishonesty on your application, it will be revoked, and you pretty much only have one shot at it.

Comment by DasHungarian at 31/01/2017 at 01:36 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Also a first generation American born from Hungarian parents. Both my parents defected from communsim in 1985 and worked hard to build what we have today. They are very grateful to be American, and gave my siblings and I the opportunity to become dual citizens and occasionally travel back home to see our family, as my mother, her sister, and my father were the only ones to come to America.

Comment by rez12345 at 31/01/2017 at 00:21 UTC

8 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Sounds like you have some awesome parents, and family too!

Just a quick question though. You said your Dutch friend cannot enter the US because his father is Iranian. Does this mean that if you have an Iranian parent you cannot visit at all, even if you werent born there or have never been?? My mother is Iranian so I'm quite curious

Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 00:49 UTC*

-25 upvotes, 1 direct replies

The executive order doesn't prevent your friend from entering the US.

Edit: Don't know why I'm being downvoted. His friend should have no issues getting into the US coming from the Netherlands unless he is an Iranian citizen with an Iranian passport and not a Dutch/Netherlands citizen with a Dutch/Netherlands passport.

OP implied his friend is Iranian by blood, but a Dutch citizen.

Comment by USOutpost31 at 31/01/2017 at 01:01 UTC

-5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Well, I'm an American who has had his life purposefully turned upside-down for other people's entertainment. Far beyond any type of harassment, into violent assault, theft, abrogated court proceedings, and the like. Meanwhile, you are living a life of legal protections and civility.

At least someone's enjoying this country. I go out and get a job right now, I'll get harassed to the point of violent assault, and no one will do anything, stand by and watch it.

All you had to do was show up and work, basically. I don't see anyone else doing anything else.

So... you're welcome??? I guess.

Comment by PerfectiveVerbTense at 31/01/2017 at 01:36 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

You are one of my favorite posters.

Comment by jb2386 at 31/01/2017 at 02:07 UTC

0 upvotes, 1 direct replies

*but* he happens to be Iranian in addition to Dutch, because his father is

Dual citizens are exempt for this reason, no?

Comment by Dalroc at 30/01/2017 at 23:59 UTC*

-82 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Hey Andromeda I know you're reasonable so I hope you were just as distraught over Obamas 8 years of constant bombing of these countries as you are over a 90 day temporary travel ban?

EDIT: And of course downvoted into oblivion, proving once again that Reddit is filled with hypocrites.

Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 01:06 UTC*

-4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

And you blame Trump for this? Not the Islamic terrorists who vowed to disrupt the west and are murdering innocents?

"My dad made us all leave the house which is mean and unfair. He said it was on fire and yeah it was but still I was having fun in there. Dad's a bad guy."

Hey reddit, you're pathetic. Why do you down vote me and not give a counter argument?

Comment by HottyToddy9 at 31/01/2017 at 01:24 UTC

-3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

So you are calling for open borders. That's a shitty plan. If you are as virtuous as you are signaling here your calling for full open borders. If not you only want some so you agree with Trump.

Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 00:58 UTC

-15 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Sryran refugees are less likely to integrate to the western society, just look at Germany for example, so they are nothing like your parents and you...

Comment by Crusty_white_sock at 31/01/2017 at 08:28 UTC

0 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Did he not read the part of the executive order where it says that exceptions can be made?

Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 00:55 UTC

-11 upvotes, 2 direct replies

[deleted]

Comment by iprefertau at 31/01/2017 at 03:37 UTC

-1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

if the dude is a first generation dutch person they probably have dutch passport so what's the problem here?