Muhammad Ali's 44 year old son was illegally detained at Florida Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport airport earlier this month by border agents who questioned him about his name and religion. Muhammad Ali Jr. for the first time in his life was held and questioned for almost two hours in what amounted to profiling.
Repeatedly asked where he was born and where does his name come from.
Philadelphia-born Muhammad Ali Jr. was travelling home from a Black History Month event in Jamaica together with his mother Khalilah Camacho Ali on February 7th when he was was pulled aside and asked "Where were you born?" and "Where did you get your name from?
Are you a Muslim?"
Khalilah Camacho, Muhammad Ali's second wife, was released after she showed the agents a photograph of her late husband who died last June 3. Her son however was detained for an hour and forty-five minutes, as he didn't have a similar photograph to present. Muhammad Ali Jr., who confirmed his Muslim faith was held despite telling officers who his father was and that he was born in the US.
Legal action is possible
According to the Los Angeles Times the son of the three times heavyweight champion and civil rights activist is considering filing a federal lawsuit after the incident. Former assistant US attorney Chris Mancini who is also the family's lawyer and friend has said that the questions the immigration officers asked potentially violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“We do not discriminate on the basis of religion — that’s been one of the basic, foundational principles of life in America since this country was founded — and then along comes Donald Trump, who pledges in his campaign that he’s going to ban all Muslims,” Mancini further said to the Los Angeles Times.
The Muhammad Ali family are not the first to be affected by Donald Trump's Muslim travel ban that has caused chaos in US airports since it was signed on January 27. Syrian filmmaker Khaled Khateeb was recently barred from US by travel ban and will not be able to attend the Academy Awards, where his documentary has been nominated for an Oscar.
