A St. Albert teen and his family are sharing their story, after plans for him to join his classmates on a school trip to Washington, D.C. had to be scrapped due to an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mohammed Hamedelniel had, until recently, planned to travel with his classmates to Washington, D.C. for a school trip in April. However, that all changed when President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning citizens of seven countries from entering the United States.
His family is from Sudan, his parents have been given permanent residency in Canada as part of a federal skilled workers program – but he holds a Sudanese passport, and Sudan is one of the countries included in the order.
“The ban was specifically made for anti-terrorists, and it’s harming everyone else, that has anything to do with that religion, race,” Mohammed said. “It’s affecting a nationality.”
His mother, Ingi El-Hadi broke the news to him after she looked at the U.S. government website.
“The seven Muslim majority countries, A, B, C, D and Sudan was one of them, that was shock number one,” El-Hadi said. “Shock number two: ‘If you’re applying for a visa, do not apply and do not pay your visa fees’.”
A spokesperson for St. Albert Public Schools, Paula Power, said the situation raised issues officials would have to keep in mind for future trips.
“The school is extremely upset that such a deserving student has to miss out on this opportunity that he had planned for. As a district, we are always watching the global situation and how it might affect school field trips such as these. This is obviously something we need to consider for the future.”
His parents considered applying for a visa anyway, but decided it would not be in his best interest, and could impact others on the trip.
“That he might be stopped anywhere on that trip while they were going as a group, and it’s something that might affect him and his classmates, his teachers,” El-Hadi said.
Meanwhile, the experience has turned into a specific lesson in politics for Mohammed.
“How some people have power and authority over other people,” Mohammed said.
With files from David Ewasuk
