PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Donald Trump’s ban on immigration from 7 Muslim majority counties has prevented even refugees and visitors with approved visas from entering the United States.
Four-month-old Fatemeh Reshad was all set to travel to the U.S. from Iran with her mother to have an operation that will save her life.
That was until Trump’s executive order banned immigrants like them from entering the country.
Fatemeh’s uncle Sam Taghizadeh, a U.S. citizen, says everything changed for his sister and her baby in one night.
“It was very hard because she got the hope to come to [the] U.S., bring the baby here,” he said.
He said his family did everything by the book, including obtaining a temporary visa through the U.S. embassy in Dubai (there is no embassy in Iran).
“We got the hotel, the airplane tickets, everything was ready,” Taghizadeh said.
Because Fatemeh was born in Iran, the visa and all endorsed documents disappeared overnight on January 27.
“The next day, I check the site, everything is gone,” Taghizadeh said. “They sent the email saying everything is cancelled and they took the appointment out and we are stuck.”
Taghizadeh said even though he us a citizen, Trump’s actions against immigrants make him feel like he’s not.
“Because we’re born in Iran, it’s like he ignores me as a citizen,” Taghizadeh said. “My niece is 4-months-old coming to here for surgery, you’re scared of her?” Taghizadeh said. “What’s she going to do? Is she dangerous?”
Due to sanctions in Iran, the hospitals there don’t have the proper equipment to operate on Fatemeh.
Taghizadeh has all the medical documents regarding the baby’s condition and sent them to doctors in New York and OHSU. He said they would have the surgery at any hospital they could in the U.S.
“We hope they can make it to OHSU because we are here, we can help, I can help my sister,” Taghizadeh said.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown is fighting the White House and hopes in doing so, will save the young girl’s life.
“I find it deplorable that an infant who was supposed to come to Oregon to receive much needed life-saving care was not able to access that care,” Brown said.
Senator Jeff Merkeley is also working with the family to help any way he can.
“The problem now here is the time,” Taghizadeh said. “If they going to make it for long time, maybe one month, we’re going to lose that baby.”Copyright 2017 KOIN