A Kenyan girl was denied entry into the United States just days
after courts barred President Donald Trump from deporting immigrants.
The
girl identified as Ednah Chepkoton, was held at Chicago's O'Hare
International Airport for many hours after getting off a United Airlines
flight on Saturday, February 4, 2017
The
25-year-old nursing graduate had been given a five-year multiple entry
visa by the US embassy in Nairobi on Friday, January 20, 2017
Narrating to the sad experience to the Star, she said:
'We landed at around 9.30 am
but when I was clearing with the customs an immigration officer called
me aside and started questioning me. I was so confused and terrified. It
was my first trip out of Kenya, she said.
The
officer then started checking her luggage and documents. He asked her
why she was carrying her academic papers and if she did not plan to
return to Kenya.
'I told him I always travel with my papers and that I had a return ticket," she said.
After the interrogations which took four hours, the officer demanded her cell phone
'He asked for the password which I gave to him,' she said, adding she was then asked to leave the office.
'I
went back to ask why my case was taking long because my flight was
leaving. It was at that juncture that the officer, who was with a woman
in uniform, told me he had two questions for me,'
She was asked to choose between being banned from the US for five years and having her visa withdrawn.
Ednah requested the officers to let her call her cousin. They refused.
Caught
between a hard rock and a hard place, she chose the cancellation of her
multiple entry visa. Her visa now bears a United States Homeland
Security stamp withdrawing it.
Ednah was bundled into a return flight to Nairobi at around 6pm, more than eight hours after setting foot in the US.
'I
was really looking forward to my one-month stay in the US. We had spent
a lot of money on air tickets. It is so sad that after all the vetting
at the embassy in Nairobi I was humiliated this much.
Upon returning to Kenya, she, however, called the US embassy and was told to send her denial of entry letter.
Liars!IS SHE FROM THE 7 MUSLIMS BAN COUNTRIES HUH? EVEN IF SHES FROM THERE IS THE BAN RELEVANT AGAIN HUH?shame to who post this trash. Did u know how many millions of Africans obama deported huh? U FOOLS SHOULD KEEP LYING AGAINST TRUMP THUNDER AWAIT U ALL.
ReplyDelete#sad indeed
Why must you display your stupidity everytime u comment.
DeleteNO VISITOR TRAVELS WITH CERTIFICATES ,SHE HAD NO INTENTION OF GOING BACK..AND BETTER KNOW U.S. IMMIGRATION AIN'T STUPID,THHEY HAVE SEEN IT ALL.
DeleteNa wah for una for media o. This is a normal immigration ish that has been happening since forever, wot has this got to do with Trump's ban again?
ReplyDeleteI know ppl who has faced this lomg before Obama's administration sef. Leave Trump outta this ooo
Sad my ass.HATERS OF TRUMP @ WORK. useless obama come carry ur people. THIS STORY IS FAKE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOKED UP BY TRUMP HATERS JUST TO MAKE HIM LOOK EVIL SHAME TO U ALL
ReplyDelete#sad indeed
Why did she carry her credentials??? That was a Big mistake
ReplyDeleteAbi o and Chicago of all places to enter.Never ever try Chicago. They send people back alot especially pregnant womankind first timers.
DeleteSorry dear...its sad ur visa had to b withdrawn after all ur efforts..
ReplyDeletebut d truth is that u cannot travel with ur academic papers while traveling outside ur country except u have plans to take up a job,don't intend going back to ur country or pursue an admission in a sch of higher learning.....especially when travelling to the UK and US.
so next time u plan to emback on a holiday outside ur country pls leave ur academic papers behind..if ur home is not safe for keeping them, then go put them in a bank.
Trump Trump.....SMH
ReplyDeleteU r an idiot.
DeleteThis has git nothing to do with Trump.
ReplyDeleteThis is regular random checks that is done at the airport upon arrival in the USA.
They must have found evidence on her phone that showed she was coming tho stay for longer, and the personal documents helped to butrress their findings.
It is just stupid that I will carry for example my University Certificates and Land documents just on a one month trip... To serve what purpose now...
Mschew, some times Africans are not just logical....
My dear if u watch border patrol programs u will see that they deny even Canadians entry once they have their academic papers with them. I mean why r u traveling with them? It means u want to get a job and stay there as an illegal alien. I am sure u had correspondence on ur phone relating to a job search. Stop saying it's trump. They have been doing that long b4 him. Even to non Africans. Sorry enh my dear. If u r just going on holiday U don't need ur academic certificates. All u need is ur passport. Try again in 5 years.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can empathize with her situation, she actually brought it on herself. The visa issued was probably only a "Tourist visa"- why did she take her certificates & qualifications with her?
ReplyDeleteDo you carry those as a form of identification when you are only on holiday? She sent out a message that she could be looking to use those certificates to apply either for further studies or even work, which would be a contravention of her visa conditions.
This has nothing to with Trump ban. The girl is hiding the truth.....There's no way an immigration officer will give her two options
ReplyDeleteThey give, coz they want u to have options u are not criminal. U don't travel with credentials and again Chicago airport homeland security is something else
DeleteHer own is five years na!. She should be thanking God... Mbok! Its not about trump or whatever.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I know you haven't gotten over Clinton's loss but you are blowing your hatred for Trump, way out of proportion.
ReplyDeleteThis lady is NURSE, who got a multiple entry TOURIST VISA, why does she need her CREDENTIALS for a one month holiday?
Everything must sha be blamed on Trump. smh
Linda is actually uninformed. She allows her hate blind her objectivi
DeleteWhy did she carry her credentials if she didnt plan to return.. One month holiday you're carrying all your life..if she was smart she could have uploaded it to her email..and leave d original for now..
DeleteLinda, does it mean you don't know that people no more see photos/videos or read full article in your blog? Please do something about it.
ReplyDeleteYou don't travel with your credentials mennh, when u can cargo it when needed. Also people should avoid passing through Chicago d experience I had with d homeland security in Chicago it's God. But she was send back because of her credentials period
ReplyDeleteCHEAPEST TBC (The Billion Coin) FOR SALE!..LIMITED OFFER!..CALL 08141263702
ReplyDeleteMadam goes to bed thinking of Donald Trump and wakes up thinking of Donald Trump
ReplyDeleteI'm a Travel Consultant, is normal and doesn't have anything to do with Trump.
ReplyDeleteHave had issues like this which I treated and they later got VISA again.
She's not suppose to Travel with her Academic Documents, I treated that exact issue last year but that was a UK Entry Refusal.
She said it was her first time out of KENYA, said she always travel with her Academic Documents and she intend staying for 1 whole Month .... Seriously?
Abia!
I'm a Travel Consultant, is normal and doesn't have anything to do with Trump.
ReplyDeleteHave had issues like this which I treated and they later got VISA again.
She's not suppose to Travel with her Academic Documents, I treated that exact issue last year but that was a UK Entry Refusal.
She said it was her first time out of KENYA, said she always travel with her Academic Documents and she intend staying for 1 whole Month .... Seriously?
Abia!
It's a normal thing for them to do at the point of entry.when you start acting nervous they suspect you.and the why carry your credentials along.they will think you have no plans to return.its not about trump ban.its the normal process.they can search your bags.go thru your phones and even call your employer.sorry it happened to you.next time google about point of entry and you will get a lot of info so u don't get caught up in this mess again.
ReplyDeleteIt's well... dee
ReplyDeleteI will still repeat my self here, living in America is a privilege and a not a right. Being issued a visa doesn't guarante entry into the the country. This particular statement is always written in bold on the application form and it's stated as always. I felt for her though, but she couldn't convince the immigration officer of her real intentions to the United States. As for you Linda, becaus the court halted the immigration ban following Trump executive orders, doesn't mean the Customs and Border protection won't do their job! If you are deemed to be deported, nothing stops it.
ReplyDeleteThis has been happening long before Trump came in.
ReplyDelete
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Truth be told, this has nothing to do with trump, it's a normal immigration check. Yep things worked against her, #1 she is a nurse and she was carrying her documents. Whoever prepared her didn't give her the right info. Good luck next time girl. I know it's very painful
ReplyDeleteMuch as I voted for Hillary and detest Trump, this has got nothing to do with Trump..1st of, she said she has never left Kenya b4..and then she says she always carries her credentials anytime she travels..ummm I think Ayam nor understanding..I am very sure she even has some African food stuffs with her..hey guys, when u say VAC, stick to it..besides, delete all social media chats, text mssgs,irrelevant emails, etc that can implicate you...this is not a trump thing.it is a Department of Homeland Security thingy...
ReplyDeleteLinda abeg take several seat back.that girl never intended to come back and they saw through her.so they were absolutely right in their decision.
ReplyDeleteWhy carry ur credentials? She shld have just had everything in her email box and printed them out if she really needed to carry it along. Or send someone to DHL them to her over there from Kenya.
ReplyDeleteWhat has Trump got to do with this? She is not from one of the 7 countries that were banned. She definitely did something wrong. Linda, shame on you for balming Trump. I now see your blog is for propagating fake news
ReplyDeletegd 4 her
ReplyDelete-D great anonymous now as Vivian Reginalds
Linda, thats normal even before donald trump and the ban. She showed intent of migration, she got a tourist visa and packed all her belongings in kenya + certificate just for few weeks vacation?, why won't they suspect her and when asked questions she starts shaking. Well thats normal whats not normal is that my neighbour got picked up by ice today under donald trumps order. People are being deported from their homes. Yanky dey hot.lol
ReplyDeleteThis Freeborn guy is so retarded like the most ignorant individual i have ever come across and its so sad he doesn't even realize how ignorant he is. Who cursed you like this really? To be spilling nonsense all over this beautiful blog?
ReplyDeleteLinda, u are smarter than this na....which one is"over Trump ban".
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with Trump, it's the normal practice that has been in place for years. Truth be told, she probably wasn't planning to go back to Kenya. Do you go on vacation with your academic documents? If she wasn't so naive, she should have scanned them to her email and asked someone to send them to her when she gets there if she needs the original copies. Again, carrying all your belonging isn't normal for tourists, you can bring food items for family members but if you have all your clothes and personal effect that will last 6 months or more and claim you will leave after one month, they may delay you but let you go if they can't find anything but once they see certificates, it becomes a different story. Giving them the password to her phone also seems like a stupid thing to do, did they have a warrant to invade her privacy to that extent? Give them the phone to swipe for drugs or whatever during the search but never unlock your phone at their request. They were obviously looking for goodbye text messages or chats from friends.
ReplyDelete