The father of a woman who fled the U.S. to join ISIS in Syria is suing the Trump Administration for banning her return to the United States.
Ahmed Ali Muthana filed a lawsuit in Washington D.C. claiming the United States made an “unlawful attempt” to prevent his daughter–whom he says is a U.S. citizen–from entering the country.
However, as Politico points out, “the Trump administration says her status as the daughter of a Yemeni diplomat means she is not a naturalized citizen and thus not entitled to the Constitutional rights of an American citizen.”
On Wednesday, President Trump tweeted, “I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!”
I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2019
Muthana, 24, fled Alabama for Syria in 2014 at the age of 19 and is currently at a refugee camp in northeast Syria. She married three ISIS fighters during her time in the Middle East and has an 18-month-old son from one of her marriages.
Muthana told The Guardian in a recent interview that she wanted to return to the United States.
When asked if she had a message for the U.S., she said, “I would tell them please forgive me for being so ignorant, and I was really young and ignorant and I was 19 when I decided to leave.”
“I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and I’ll never come back to the Middle East. America can take my passport and I wouldn’t mind,” she added.
According to The Guardian, in 2015, Muthana used Twitter to urge Americans to commit acts of violence on nation holidays like Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day and to “spill all of their blood.”
“Americans wake up! Men and women altogether. You have much to do while you live under our greatest enemy, enough of your sleeping! Go on drivebys, and spill all of their blood, or rent a big truck and drive all over them. Veterans, Patriots, Memorial, etc day … Kill them,”
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Muthana would not be allowed to return to the U.S. despite her pleas.
“Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a U.S. citizen and will not be admitted into the United States,” he said in a statement. She does not have any legal basis, no valid U.S. passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States. We continue to strongly advise all U.S. citizens not to travel to Syria.”
