L
LequteMan
Guest
The United States government has explained the reason for the recent deportation of a Nigerian with valid visa, Femi Olaniyi.
Femi was thought to be the victim of a recent travel ban placed on immigrants by President Donald Trump.
According to Femi, he was treated inhumanely and deported without precedence.
“I travelled to the United States of America on 21 of February 2017, with two years’ valid multiple visa," he said according to Premium Times.
“When I got to the point of entry of Los Angeles, the immigration officer directed me to one BPD, he interrogated me and I answered him politely.
“When he has nothing to hold me, he said I should come for biometric whether I have any criminal offence.
“I told him that I’m not a criminal that he should go ahead. Later, he brought some documents that I should sign, I told him that I will need to read before I sign.
“He quickly withdrew the document and put me in a cold cell. From there he held me for four days. Collected all my phone so that I will not get access to my family and later revoked and return me back to Nigeria.
“Honestly, this is unfair, Nigeria needs to do something,” Mr. Femi said.
When contacted, the U.S. Embassy did not deny Femi's allegations, but stated that there was no travel ban on Nigerians with valid documents.
The embassy spokesman, Russell Brooks, blamed Femi's incident on a long-standing immigration policy that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, a practice he said remained popular amongst different countries across the world.
“However, many people are unaware of the fact that a visa does not automatically guarantee you entry into the United States,” Mr. Brooks said. “As is the case in most countries, all travellers are still subject to an interview by an immigration official at the point of entry.”
He said U.S.-bound travellers must convince immigration officials that they had reasons to enter the country, adding that such officers should be given maximum cooperation.
Femi was thought to be the victim of a recent travel ban placed on immigrants by President Donald Trump.
According to Femi, he was treated inhumanely and deported without precedence.
“I travelled to the United States of America on 21 of February 2017, with two years’ valid multiple visa," he said according to Premium Times.
“When I got to the point of entry of Los Angeles, the immigration officer directed me to one BPD, he interrogated me and I answered him politely.
“When he has nothing to hold me, he said I should come for biometric whether I have any criminal offence.
“I told him that I’m not a criminal that he should go ahead. Later, he brought some documents that I should sign, I told him that I will need to read before I sign.
“He quickly withdrew the document and put me in a cold cell. From there he held me for four days. Collected all my phone so that I will not get access to my family and later revoked and return me back to Nigeria.
“Honestly, this is unfair, Nigeria needs to do something,” Mr. Femi said.
When contacted, the U.S. Embassy did not deny Femi's allegations, but stated that there was no travel ban on Nigerians with valid documents.
The embassy spokesman, Russell Brooks, blamed Femi's incident on a long-standing immigration policy that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, a practice he said remained popular amongst different countries across the world.
“However, many people are unaware of the fact that a visa does not automatically guarantee you entry into the United States,” Mr. Brooks said. “As is the case in most countries, all travellers are still subject to an interview by an immigration official at the point of entry.”
He said U.S.-bound travellers must convince immigration officials that they had reasons to enter the country, adding that such officers should be given maximum cooperation.
