Yassmin Abdel-Magied says US entry denial due to privilege

Speaking via video the Muslim activist tells US forum she’d have been treated differently by border security if she was a “straight white male”.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied says things would have been different with US border security officers if she was a “straight white male’’.

Controversial media personality Yassmin Abdel-Magied says she would have been treated differently by border security if she was a “straight white male” after she was denied entry to the US.

Ms Abdel-Magied was travelling to the United States last week to attend a series of speaking events when she was refused entry by US Customs and Border Protection officials for having an incorrect visa.

“During the inspection, CBP officers determined this individual did not possess the appropriate visa to receive monetary compensation for the speaking engagements she had planned during her visit to the United States,” said a US Customs and Border Protection spokesman. “As such, she was deemed inadmissable to enter the United States for her visit, but was allowed to withdraw her application for admission. The traveller is eligible to reapply for a visa for future visits.”

Ms Abdel-Magied, who now lives in London after leaving Australia, was due to speak at two events at the Pen America World Voices Festival on April 18 and 21. One of the talks was to feature Ms Abdel-Magied and US author Amani Al-Khatahtbeh reflecting on the difficulties of being young Muslim women in the West.

During the ordeal the former engineer tweeted her cultural background influenced the actions of US border officials. “Those who say the world is borderless are those who have the right colour passports - or birthplace.” she wrote.

A tweet from Yassmin Abdel-Magied stating that she is currently at the United States border and is facing deportation. Picture: Twitter

Ms Abdel-Magied later tweeted a statement that said she had previously travelled on the same visa with no issue. “I have previously travelled to the United States on the visa that I sought entry with on this occasion.”

Statement: pic.twitter.com/q70IN9XN48

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Unable to attend the festival, Ms Abdel-Magied spoke in a video forum titled The M Word: No Country for Young Muslim Women with American Amani Al-Khatahtbeh this morning where she said going through customs would have been markedly better if she was privileged.

“I think it’s very different to go through something like that as a person who is accustomed to understanding their place in the world versus someone who has never known very real danger.” she said.

“If you are a person of privilege, a white straight male going through border security, you have a sense of assuredness this system has your back. You believe the rule of law is there to protect you.

She further said the law did not exist to serve her, implying she is disadvantaged by the rule of law because of her minority status and comparative lack of privilege. “I don’t believe the rule of law is there to protect me, in fact, I know there are laws out there that find ways to make life more difficult for people like me.” she said.

“A border control person being rude and aggressive to me can end in me being shot then them not going to jail. That’s the risk we’re talking about, it’s not just discomfort for a few hours.”

Ms Abdel-Magied, who know lives in the UK, said she was forced to relocate due to the intense media scrutiny of her despite her deep patriotism of Australia.

“Part of the reason I’m in London was because I was being attacked in the Australian press, despite the fact I am Australian and had been brought up there, and proudly represented Australia across the world,” she said.

She said the reason she caused so much controversy was because she challenges acceptable norms of behaviour and there is nowhere in the world where Muslim women are completely free to be themselves.

“But the reality is once you step outside the bounds of what people think is acceptable, they are not OK with that, they can’t handle it.” she said. “They really turn on you whether you are in a western country or a majority Muslim country.”

“There is no country for young Muslim women where they know they’ll be totally safe, valued and looked after, or at least equal.”

The former ABC presenter rose to prominence as a vivacious young Muslim woman who succeeded in the male-dominated world of engineering. She caused widespread condemnation after posting on her Facebook page “Lest We Forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...).” on Anzac Day. She later deleted the post and apologised.

There was more controversy when she described Islam as the most feminist religion on ABC’s Q&A and a backlash in January when she was seen to mock Australians concerned by gangs of boys and young men of African descent committing crimes in Melbourne.

Ms Abdel-Magied will star in the new SBS series Homecoming Queens.