British Muslim family refused entry to USA by Homeland Security at Gatwick
- 5 years ago
A British father today told how his family, including nine children, were banned from flying to the US because they are Muslim.
Mohammad Tariq Mahmood, 41, his brother and their children, aged between eight and 19, were stopped at the departure gate at Gatwick airport by a UK Border Agency official and told their visas to the US had been revoked.
They were given no explanation why their ESTA visas, organised six weeks before the flight, were cancelled.
The ban comes just days after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for all Muslims to be stopped from entering the US.
Now Mr Mahmood has called on David Cameron to demand an explanation from the American authorities and is seeking an £11,000 refund for the cost of the airline tickets to Los Angeles.
Gym owner Mr Mahmood said they were going to a reunion with family in California after 15 years and hoped to visit Disneyland and other tourist sites.
The party were forced to hand back their duty free items and the children in tears. Mr Mahmood, who was born in Pakistan, came to the UK when he was just 12, when his father came to work as a chartered accountant.
He said: "We had been planning the trip for four to five months and my kids had countdowns on their phones.
Mohammad Tariq Mahmood, 41, his brother and their children, aged between eight and 19, were stopped at the departure gate at Gatwick airport by a UK Border Agency official and told their visas to the US had been revoked.
They were given no explanation why their ESTA visas, organised six weeks before the flight, were cancelled.
The ban comes just days after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for all Muslims to be stopped from entering the US.
Now Mr Mahmood has called on David Cameron to demand an explanation from the American authorities and is seeking an £11,000 refund for the cost of the airline tickets to Los Angeles.
Gym owner Mr Mahmood said they were going to a reunion with family in California after 15 years and hoped to visit Disneyland and other tourist sites.
The party were forced to hand back their duty free items and the children in tears. Mr Mahmood, who was born in Pakistan, came to the UK when he was just 12, when his father came to work as a chartered accountant.
He said: "We had been planning the trip for four to five months and my kids had countdowns on their phones.