(COLUMBUS, OH, 8/28/2020) – The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) announced the reunification of a Muslim couple following the successful resolution of a lawsuit against the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad for failing to process the immigrant visa of the Pakistani wife of a U.S. citizen.
Muddasar, a U.S. citizen, met Ayesha in Gujrat, Pakistan and they got married in 2016. The couple were very excited to begin their married life and for Ayesha to join her husband in the United States. They immediately filed for an immigrant visa for Ayesha. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved their petition, and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad interviewed Ayesha. However, the U.S. Embassy refused to make a decision on her application and also provided no explanation as to why a decision was not reached.
For the next two years, Ayesha and her husband were provided no reason as to why the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad was failing to make a decision on her application. As a result, Ayesha and her husband were forced to live apart. The couple contacted the embassy dozens of times pleading with them to process Ayesha’s application.
For over two years, the couple put their lives and careers on hold and faced significant financial strain as Muddasar had to frequently travel to Pakistan to spend time with his wife. In desperation, the family contacted CAIR-Ohio to seek assistance in this matter. CAIR-Ohio filed a federal mandamus lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State in order to force the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to reach a decision on the immigrant visa application.
The lawsuit was successfully resolved with Ayesha receiving hervisa, which finally allowed her to travel to the U.S. and reunite with her husband.
In a statement, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Romin Iqbal said:
“Nobody should be forced to be away from their spouse for years for no legitimate reason. There are too many Muslim immigrants who are denied their legal rights because of secret government watchlists. No one should be forced to resort to lawsuits to obtain a benefit which is their legal right.”
The couple said that they were grateful that the visa was issued and Ayesha can finally live with her husband.
In a quote made to CAIR-Ohio, Muddasar stated:
“After struggling with my wife’s immigration case for over three years, I reached out to CAIR-Ohio. I was truly taken aback by their level of care, concern, and professionalism. Now, I can finally start my new life thanks to Allah, and then to CAIR-Ohio. They are an integral asset to the Muslim American community and I can testify that no organization serves to protect our civil rights as a minority better than CAIR-Ohio.”
Muslims facing similar delays are urged to contact CAIR-Ohiofor assistance by filing an incident report online.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Romin Iqbal, Esq., 614-783-7953, riqbal@cair.com
