World Press photographer cancels Amsterdam trip over Trump's entry ban
Eman Mohammed, a Palestinian photographer living in the United States, had to cancel a trip to Amsterdam to be in the World Press judging panel because of American president Donald Trump's decision to close the U.S. borders to people from seven Muslim countries. While Palestine is not on the list of banned countries, it is also not considered a country by the U.S. and there is therefore a chance that Mohammed may not be allowed back into the country, she wrote on Facebook.
"Not in a million years have I imagined that I'll have to choose between my freedom or my daughters", the photographer writes on Facebook.
Mohammed consulted her lawyer after Trump's "hateful executive order, making sure my family will be left unharmed and unaffected". The lawyer came back to her wit the advice to rather not go to Amsterdam, as she may not be allowed back into the United States. And even worse than that, should this happen, her daughters may be taken away from her - Mohammed's daughters are U.S. citizens, but she only has a green card. "I have no family in the U.s. so no one knows where they will end up."
She therefore decided to give up the honor of being a World Press Photography judge. "This imaginary battle against terrorism is only targeting families of innocent civilians and for us not to fall in the same trap, we're now swapping freedom for family" Mohammed writes. "I' not illegal, but Trump's unconstitutional ban is."
