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My father always wanted me to be a lawyer. Like many Muslim parents, he was thinking of a job that was safe, secure, and lacking in ostentation. So I went to law school, passed the Bar Exam in my first attempt, and was sworn in as an attorney in May 2012.
But instead of choosing a safe, secure desk job that kept me tied up in paperwork from 9am to 5pm, I chose a job in criminal defence, defending people accused of serious felony offences both in the state of Illinois and federally across the United States. I spent my days with (alleged) gangsters, robbers, and murderers, and I was honoured to do so. I chose to be the kind of lawyer that fights.
When Donald Trump signed an executive order that has widely come to be known as the Muslim ban, I was at a loss for what to do. I had been trained to fight the good fight, but without any knowledge of immigration law, what was I supposed to do? My strength lay in defending sexual assault cases, not treading through the minefield of complex immigration laws.
After a day or so, watching news stories trickle in about an Oscar nominee unable to enter the country for the Academy Awards and a five-year old boy held in questioning while his anxious mother waited with protesters, I decided that I could no longer sit on the sidelines. I had to put my strengths to use. It may not have been precisely what my father envisioned for me, but neither of my parents have ever held me back from righteous fights.
My friend Elleni and I had attended the Women’s March in Chicago the weekend before, marching down Michigan Avenue with signs in our hands to the federal courthouse.
One week later, on January 29, each armed with a satchel containing a computer, tablet, adaptor, and some legal pads, we drove to O’Hare International Airport to offer our services as attorneys.
Terminal 5, by the McDonald’s. These were the directions I had seen on Twitter or Snapchat. They are excellent sites and apps for real-time updates on grassroots events and scrolling endlessly through them was the form my anxiety had taken since Trump had assumed office.
Sure enough, several tables were set up and attorneys were divided up in stations. Some were scouring social media to get updates on what was happening at other airports across the country and to coordinate procedures. Some were working on declaratory injunctions on behalf of those detained, while others were making signs. The woman heading the operation was speaking to a CNN reporter.
“It’s always women,” Elleni murmured to me. “We are always the one that rush in to help and actually get things done.”
We milled about for a few minutes, unsure what to do. The assembled attorneys were polite, but busy. Elleni and I made ourselves name tags, scrawling LAWYER with a pink marker, and tried to discern where we were needed. We made our way to a small table and, desperate to be productive, Elleni used the time to teach me one of her skills – drafting petitions for emergency guardianship of minors, in case a detainee wanted to name a guardian for his or her children in the event of deportation.
One of the female attorneys from a national firm noticed us and suggested we look at the intake sheets. She printed us a copy each and we skimmed it. This was an intake sheet – a means of gathering client information – and it was something I could easily master.
What Elleni and I realised as the night went on was that our strength lay in the fact that we belonged to solo and small firms. Elleni was a solo practitioner with one associate; I worked for a small firm of three attorneys, a paralegal, and a legal assistant. We were used to vertical representation, which means handling a client’s problem from the beginning until the resolution. We were used to having people rely on us, thinking fast and on our feet, and dealing with stressed, upset people. And, we were used to intakes.
As well-meaning as all of the assembled attorneys were, the intake sheet was a disaster. There were two parties that were represented: the person possibly being detained (who we would likely not be able to speak to) and their friend or family member waiting for them at the terminal. The questions for each of the two parties were interwoven in such a manner that the conversation did not flow properly, which Elleni and I noticed immediately. It took us mere minutes to reorganise the form and make it our own.
Rather than wait at the attorney tables for people to approach us, Elleni and I decided to walk back and forth between Gates A and B, looking for travelers’ family and friends who fit a certain profile. There are seven countries currently named in the Executive Order, but we knew it was likely that overzealous Customs & Border Patrol agents would overstep their bounds and possibly detain others that looked either Muslim or brown.
“Let’s walk around the airport and profile people,” I remember telling Elleni as I rolled my eyes.
“For justice?”
She laughed as we set off. We looked for people who looked Arab, and were likely waiting for their Arab family members or friends; we looked for South Asians, and we even looked for Hispanics and Latinos.
It is not unusual for Mexican nationals entering the United States on a visa, for example, to be placed in secondary inspections and held for lengthy questioning. A visa, after all, is only a request to be allowed entrance – it is not a guarantee.
As Elleni and I walked through the airport, we found several families who had been waiting for more than six hours for a family member or a friend coming in from Mexico on a valid visa. We went through our revised checklist, gathering all pertinent information and quickly realising that none of the traditional red flags were indicated.
All the information we gathered was immediately given to the attorneys working by the McDonald’s. It was entered into a database by some attorneys, and then others began the work of reaching out to Customs & Border Patrol.
We patrolled the international gates for several hours, walking over to various sections of seating every now and then to ask, “Has anyone been waiting for more than two hours for family or friends?”
We had immediately learned that this was the most effective way to frame the question; attorneys understood the ramifications of the word ‘detained,’ but many others did not. Waiting for longer than usual, however, was something people understood very well.
Elleni and I coordinated to complete roughly 11 intakes of individuals that had been held for more than five hours. There was one Nigerian green card holder married to a United States citizen whose friends had been waiting for three hours. There were several Hispanic families who had been waiting since noon for their family on a flight from Mexico City. It was well past 7pm by the time we passed their information on to the immigration attorneys.
As I patrolled the gates, I noticed an older man sitting in the corner, keeping to himself. He did not engage with us when we walked by several times, asking if anyone had been waiting for long. My intuition told me, however, to approach him and inquire as to how long he had been waiting. That was when I learned that those five children had been held for more than six hours. He was their travel agent and had simply presumed the flight was late.
Trying not to alarm him, I gathered information as efficiently as I could and handed it over to the immigration attorneys leading the operation.
Elleni and I worked diligently, usually step in step, but occasionally separating, against the backdrop of a gathering crowd of protesters.
We took the time to return to the families we’d already spoken to, offering them comfort and limited reassurance. As we were not immigration attorneys, we did not offer specific legal advice. However, our general knowledge of immigration, as well as the procedures in place, was enough to keep the families calm and reassured that a large team of volunteers was working on behalf of their loved ones.
The earnest chants of “This is what America looks like!” certainly helped boost spirits.
When we left, the children from Jordan had still not been released. I was tired, but sleep does not come easily during a Trump administration.
Elleni and I groused that he had been in office for only two weeks and every single one of our weekends had been consumed with protests. We resolved to keep our social calendars light for the next four years so we could be on hand to either demonstrate or offer legal services. We also agreed to learn more about immigration law and to practice drafting petitions for a writ of habeas corpus, one of the uses of which is to challenge the illegal detention in immigration custody.
I scrolled Twitter that night, addicted to the false feeling of productivity that came with absorbing news in real-time. I saw a picture of Rahm Emanuel speaking to the brother of a man removed from O’Hare and sent back to Jordan.
Jordan was not one of the countries named in the Executive Order. I scanned tweets and Facebook messages, looking for anything about the Jordanian children who I had brought to the attention of the rest of the attorney task force.
I forced myself to shut down my phone and head to bed. These fights will continue and expand on multiple fronts. For those of us who have grown used to a life in the trenches, we welcome the challenge. We remain in our element.
Photos and videos by the author.
Are you an immigrant living in America facing difficulties under the Trump administration? Share your story with us at blog@dawn.com
Huma Rashid is the senior associate attorney at Wigell Criminal Defense in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She earned her law degree at John Marshall School of Law in Chicago, and has been practicing for approximately five years.. For more information on the brilliant attorneys doing their part to resist the Trump administration at O’Hare, please follow @ORDLawyersHQ on Twitter. To contact Huma, email her at hrashid@wcdchicago.com.
The views expressed by this writer and commenters below do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Comments (68) Closed
Every day that we refuse to look at this as what it is, and the scale of it, and really the viciousness of it, will be a day where you will rue that we didn’t act.” Thank you for being there ,thank you for standing up for the right thing to do, thank you for being an example to many of us Muslims.
Thanks for being an honorable individual and a true professional. Stay sharp as it is a long and arduous journey.
People need to realize its not about Trump. He is only representing the sentiments of the majority of the American people. The dissenting voices will be silences by the majority in the coming years but good work by the dissenting minority so far although it is of little help.
Good job .... well done .
Great job lawyer.
Thank you for stepping up and doing the right thing. Please continue your efforts since people with your values will be instrumental in fighting back with Trump, his narcissistic regime and supporters.
Good for you.
Thank you for the great work, Ms Huma Rashid!! God bless you!!
Thankyou
Huma Rashid, an attorney with a heart, good conscience and right kind of enduring values. Keep up the good work.
Proud of you Huma!
Thank you for #restoringfaithinhumanity !!
Weldone.you are doing well.
Welldone Huma.you are doing well.
One thing comes to mind after reading this article. Why in our countries, we treat people like Qadri as heroes? Why do we openly witness the persecution of christian and other minorities and do nothing?
Great works. Thank you very much.
It's not a Muslim ban! Trump is doing what Obama did in 2006!
Thank you for "being humane" and doing justice to your profession.
The best solution to problem like this , go out and VOTE, where our minorities did not vote, and thats what we got, lets vote in 2020, dont sit home my black, hispanic, muslim and other minorities communities,.Minorities to blame for this. Secondly blame democrates , they had bad candidate, next time lets have clean energetic person, it can be done easily. All minorities+ some whites can win election. No fasten your seat belts for the next 3 years and 11 months. God bless America and its Minority.
Thanks Huma! May your tribe increase....
Good work!
Obama and Bill Clinton started this ban. Where were the protesters then. People please do your own research instead of following the liberal medias
BRAVO----KEEP THE GOOD WORK GOING.
This is female empowerment at its finest... Huma has won our hearts. Keeping fighting the good fight.
these travel restrictions and regulations have been in place since 9/11. I can't even remember how many times i have been stopped unnecessarily at US airports; Missed flights at lease 3 times over the last >10 years; we are still strongly vetted even when travelling with British ? Canadian passports because my birth place is Pakistan; Question: where have these activists been for last more than a decade or so; Can understand why people are getting so upset about review of entry into US for next 90 days and based on geography and threat but the liberals are playing the religious card. i am a Pak / canadian and a professor of medicine; last year India didn't grant me a visa for a conference inspire of letter of invitation from one their big medical organization and i had political clearance. Every sovereign nation is looking out for themselves; Pakistan is reasonably strict with their entry policy;
This is not really a Muslim ban. This is a temporary ban on 7 Muslim-majority nations. The ban includes Christians and other non-Muslims from these countries. Unnecessarily, people are making it into a Muslim-ban, trying to stir up religious feelings.
Trump has himself clarified its not Muslim ban. US government has clarified. Muslims from all four major Muslim population - India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, are not banned. So why instigate every Muslim saying it as a Muslim ban. No doubt this ban is not a good thing, but bringing religion is not a great thing either.
Salute to you.
@Haider ... No Mate Trump doesn't represent the Majority ...........
Keep up the good work dear and you will be rewarded not only in this life but hereafter as well.
May God bless you, Huma and Elleni!!
Thanks for acting to help the people in a chaotic situation created by the action of the person in the highest office of the US where, the US constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
I commend you for acting to defend the above fundamental American (human) value.
Be real. It was not a muslim ban. It not even a ban. It was pause of 90 days to enable authorities to work out their processes to vet out people from a geography which faced severe breakdown in internal systems.
Where were these protestors and lawyers when Obama banned Iraqi refugees for six months?
This is nothing but a selective outrage against Trump. But living in the US, I can tell you that there is a huge silent majority that agrees with him but don't express their feelings out loud due to fear of being casted and labeled as 'racists' 'Islamophobe" etc.
The American media (99.9% uber liberal) shows as if these protests and outrage is mainstream, but again this is just a small minority who is in disagreement and hateful towards Donald John Trump.
Great admirable work by some very special brave committed people. But they can't do it alone. If Muslims and Muslim countries don't unite and face this absolute horror in an organized manner this terror will spread and touch every Muslim family, will be knocking at your bedroom door in the small hours of the night, sooner rather than later.
@Haider You believe it is the majority supporting him?
@Mohammed "It's not a Muslim ban! Trump is doing what Obama did in 2006!"
Obama wasn't a President in 2006.
This article talking about all the just minded lawyers and others in Chicago, many or most of them non-Muslims, expending their time and resources for what they consider to be a just cause, notwithstanding what the religious affiliations of the ones most affected are, brings to mind a rhetorical question posed by Rafia Zakaria in an earlier article in Dawn on almost the same subject, that people in Pakistan need to reflect on: How many Pakistanis would be at the airport to welcome and aid such victims of injustice if they were all Christians (or Jews or Hindus)? I don't see it happening in any or many other parts of this planet. Stands to reason that, although the US has the kinds of Trump and his followers, it is still a good country with many many good and kind-hearted people as well.
This is new reality and people need to speak their mind to protest such actions. Silence is no longer an option. I live in Indianapolis and hundreds of people went to the local Airport to show sympathy with people who were detained. This show of strength all over the nation showed that America is neither Middle East nor Europe. America is the only Country in the World and myself an American still welcome all legal immigrants with valid documents. This is still the majority view of the American People that are on the other side now. Good Job Huma and other Attorneys.
@naeem deanSorry about all your bad experiences at US airports mainly by virtue of your birth in Pakistan. I feel particularly bad as far as the non-granting of the Indian Visa to you for a medical conference to which you were officially invited. Surely a man of your stature and qualifications would have done no harm to India by your presence there, and you merited that visa. My sincere apologies to you for this faux pas on part of my previous country allegiance. I am a professional, born in Pakistan, grew up on India, and have lived in the US many decades and yet I was refused a visa permit to go to Pakistan to visit my ancestral home and general sight-seeing. "Aansoo na bahen fariyaad na kar, dil jalta hai to jalne de"
@Mohammed Mr. Obama was not even The President till 2008. How could he have done anything in 2006? Please check your facts, figures, and dates.
Every good deed makes a difference. Well done. keep it up!!!
Accept the fact and stop playing victim card, People at fault should only worry
Ms. Rashid: Thanks! We, the recent immigrants, especially Muslims need to protest (non-violence of course) and be united to oppose this ban. I hope someone would draft a nice, respectful letter, to the point that we can all send to White House, our senators and House of Representatives. Hopefully, they will reconsider this ban.
If only there were good lawyers like you in Pakistan who could defend minorities from everyday persecution.
@gp65 "@Mohammed "It's not a Muslim ban! Trump is doing what Obama did in 2006!"
Obama wasn't a President in 2006. "
President Obama banned immigration from Iraq for six months in 2011, but the media buried the story.
Appreciate the passion, courage and commitment of the good American people who are protesting and offering their time and energy.
Great work, Huma, Elleni and all the lawyers (and people) in America who are standing up.
It is extremely sad that your Chief Executive does not reflect what you actually are.
Huma I salute you for your courage ,you are a symbol for us in America to follow .
@Haider Huma I salute you for your courage ,and symbol for us to follow.
If don't like the policy of a country, then return to your own country of liking. 'Immigration is a privilege and not a birth right', as per Trump's spokesman.
"My strength lay in defending sexual assault cases"
And you are proud of that? Why?
@Khan I totally agree with you. Infact the this pauce was initiated by Obama from 6 law less and coutries without govts. Moreover our great lawyer can help some of her muslim coreligionists who are presecuted in so called islamic countries. Afterall USA is soveriegn country and they have the right to frame thier own laws regarding who comes in who goes out?
Having moved from Pakistan to US almost 16 years ago as a student, i always thought that Americans were selfish people but where the political scene has shown us some downsides of a capitalist society and a broken washindton, it has also taught me a great deal about American, the People and dare i say "this is what makes America great again":)
Great job, you are a blessing to humanity.
Great job indeed. Fighting a neo-Hitler.
Hats off to Huma Rashid, Elleni and other dedicated legal eagles with a conscience and a big heart offering pro-Bono legal assistance to the stranded and detained at the O'hare airport. It is exhilarating to read about such people going way beyond the call of duty and expending their time and resources for social causes and justice for those in their hour of need.
Ms. Huma, you are doing great job. Keep helping people who have done nothing wrong. Trump's policies are as bad as he looks.
Hates off to these brave and courageous ladies. I wish people in Pakistan stand up for justice with minorities in Pakistan and fight for their rights.
The defense by several people on this forum of the immigration ban is utterly astonishing. These people proclaim this not to be a Muslim ban or that such a ban has existed since the time of President Clinton against all evidence to the contrary. They ought to pay attention to Trump's statements during the election and the rabidly anti-Muslim stance of his closest advisers, in and out of government: Steve Bannon, General Flynn, Jeff Sessions, Rudy Guiliani and Newt Gingrich to name a few. It is the strength of the American Institutions particularly an independent Jury which holds the promise that the rights of the people will not be easily flouted.
Lawyer makes his contribution to the rule of law, administration of justice and independence of judiciary as an officer of the court. Challenging arbitrary and unjust executive orders causing detriment to a section of the society is one of the numerous important roles lawyers play.
@np wow. you got to the subject of the whole article....
Great job done! Keep it up
Huma...people like you are need in Pakistan for the same cause that you are fighting for. Please come to Pakistan and speak for the rights of minorities Pakistan. Oh wait...you abandoned that country because the law of that land does not allow you to speak freely about the persecutions. Speak your heart out and stay safe in USA. And just so that you are aware, Trump has not banned Muslims from entering America.
Very nicely done.
@Gly mendon True...... We work hard to keep United States the leader of the world. Statue of Liberty is one of the symbols of our greatness.
Salute!
Huma, I live only 10 minutes aways from O,Hare airport. The problem is people who need help usually don't vote or protest against the unjustified/illegal order of the new president. I think this fight/demos will continue up to the supreme court .The Federal judge in Washington has overruled his ban and the Appeals court has refused to reinstate his ban. Now it will go to the SC and hopefully SC will rule against his ban too. In the meantime, we must join people who are demonstrating his ban all over the USA. Thanks!
keep up the good work Mr. Trump. You are doing what a president is suppose to do. Keep America safe from these cave dwellers.