Over the weekend, Donald Trump’s so-called #MuslimBan blocked immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering U.S. The impact of the ban was immediate, with refugees and valid visa holders from Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, Syria, and Iraq being denied entry to the United States despite travel plans when the President signed the Executive Order.
Family members were detained in airports. Protests and criticism from Donald Trump’s own Republican party in Congress was immediate. One of the real-life impacts of the Trump’s ban is what it has on Muslim translators who risked their lives helping U.S. troops in Iraq with the promise of immigrating to America as refugees to start a new life.
Over a tumultuous weekend of outrage on social media, one of the all-time great stories comes from Dylan (@dyllyp), an Iraqi war veteran. Dylan befriended Brahim, an Iraqi interpreter during his first deployment. Out of pure chance, the two were serendipitously reunited after Brahim immigrated to United States as a refugee.
Dylan’s powerful story is best told in his own words. Hopefully people outside the country read it and glean that the real America isn’t as ugly as bureaucrats and racist Internet trolls make it look.
It will restore your faith in humanity, if just for a second. Bro moves all around.