Muslim Family Claims Discrimination by Racial Profiling at Airport

January 1, 2007

Author: Brynn Galindo

Source: KGET

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=4153898d-6402-4f85-bb73-68088f320f9c

BAKERSFIELD - It was supposed to be a fun family reunion, but instead a Bakersfield family claims their Muslim father had a hard time getting to Bakersfield from Germany because of airport security.

This is familiar territory to the Islamic community where someone is allegedly subjected to discriminatory treatment while traveling.

Magidah Shehadeh was anticipating a warm and joyous holiday weekend with the visit of her father- a German Muslim, but that did not happen. He was allegedly detained by the customs and border protection agency and the FBI at McCarron International Airport in Las Vegas, refused entry, and sent back to Germany.

“You wonder about the state of civil liberties ... about the whole system,” Shehadeh said.

She said her father, Majid, was held for over 12 hours and not allowed to take his prescribed heart medication. She has been in communication with her mother who though waiting at the airport was not allowed to meet with her father. He has regularly visited the family for years during the holidays, but this is the first time he was held for questioning.