Travelling While Arab

Full episodes available soon.

In ‘Turned Away’, 20 year old Jordanian graduate Yahya Abu Ramman shares his 21 hour ordeal at Chicago's O'Hare AirPort with us, and is denied entry into the United States with valid 5 year visa. We discuss the legal ramifications and eligibility of the search procedures with his attorney at the time, Christina Abraham.  We also discuss how airport security protocols have changed the way we travel post-September 11th. 

In 'Detained', we hear the recollection of Mohammad Nasr, a Jordanian and Naturalized American citizen who has on two occasions been detained and questioned by Customs and Border Protection officers, and we discuss principles of Private and Government data gathering methods with digital privacy expert, Professor Katina Michael of Arizona State University.

Explore the legislative checks and balances that are threatening free speech in the North American political landscapes with professor Reem Bahdi,  while Iraqi blogger Hayder Hamzoz explains why the Middle East remains a tumultuous arena of secretive data surveillance and collection methods enforced by governments and militias alike.