A doctor from Syria has stated that he won’t go back to the United States in order to finish his degree at Brown University. That’s due to the immigration ban of President Trump. Khaled Almilaji stated recently that there’s a lot of uncertainty although the latest version of the ban could allow him to get a student visa. The Trump administration has set a deadline of Thursday to implement the ban.
Almilaji has recently moved to Canada in order to complete his master’s degree. He’ll be studying at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Almilaji says that it was unfortunate he decided it was necessary to withdraw from the US Ivy League school. However, he explained that bad things happen in life and it’s important to adapt to those situations. Al mil aji’s goal is open a hospital that treats women and children in NW Syria. He’s still interacting with his mentors at Brown. He hopes specialists at the university will train the hospital staff over the Internet and answer questions related to complex questions.
Almilaji recently received the Meritorious Service Medal by the Queen’s Canadian representative. Adam Levine is the head of Brown’s Humanitarian Innovation Initiative. He shared that nothing slows down the Syrian student including Trump and other obstacles that exist when doing this type of work.
Almilaji is a member of the initiative. He organized a campaigned that helped to vaccinate 1.4 million Syrian children. He also risked his own life in order to provide medical care throughout Syria’s civil war.
Almilajiis now working with doctors in Canada to create safe health facilities located in Syria, connect hospitals, and train medical staff. The group has launched the Canadian International Medical Relief Organization. Almilaji recently received a letter that he was receiving the medal. The other CIMRO founders are also getting the medal.
Almilaji was working towards a master’s degree at Brown University in the area of public health when the immigrant ban was implemented in January. After the fall semester, he went to Turkey then got stuck overseas when his wife was pregnant in the US. The family was reunited this month in Toronto.
The US Supreme Court just reinstated the Muslim ban partially. This allows the Trump administration to block travelers from 6 countries until they can provide a strong relationship with a person who lives in the US. The guidance from the court stated that a student who’s already been admitted at a US university qualifies for that exception.
Almilaji goes to Turkey in order to manage various projects in Syria. Lawyers told him that if he decided to return to the US it wouldn’t be a good idea to leave again. He argued that it would affect his ability to travel freely, see his family, and do the work he’s committed to.
Almilaji stated that Canada gives him the experience/knowledge that allows him to do his work in a much better way. In fact, he’s also launched an advocacy/awareness campaign with his classmates at Brown. After Syria becomes more stable he hopes to return to the country and work.