A transgender Syrian refugee claims she was stranded at a Turkish airport for seven months after a Canadian diplomat claimed she underwent gender reassignment surgery in an attempt to gain entry into the country.
Arwa Almsrawi was initially granted refugee status by Canada after the country received a referral from the UN refugee agency.
But while traveling to her new home country, she ran into trouble at Istanbul airport. She learned she was on the US ‘No Fly List’ and eventually her refugee status was revoked.
Almsrawi, a transgender woman, originally fled her war-torn homeland of Syria and found temporary refuge in Saudi Arabia, where she lived for more than a decade.
But she had no legal status in Saudi Arabia, meaning she could no longer work legally.
Arwa Almsrawi had previously been granted refugee status by Canada after the country received a referral from the UN refugee agency
When Almsrawi began her journey to Canada, where she finally expected to be “a full human being,” she encountered problems at Istanbul airport.
When Almsrawi was allowed to move to Canada, where she finally expected to “be a full human being,” she was arrested at Istanbul airport.
She was prevented from boarding her flight to Toronto while officials informed the Syrian refugee that she was on the United States’ No Fly List.
Canadian immigration officials subsequently denied Almsrawi’s refugee application with minimal explanation.
It is unclear why her name appears on the US no-fly list, but in a letter from the Canadian government, the inclusion appears to be a factor in their denial decision.
The document, which outlined why she was stripped of refugee status, made no specific allegations against Almsrawi, but acknowledged that her presence on the No Fly List was factored into their final judgment, saying it introduced “unknowable matters.”
“These ‘unknowable matters’, in my opinion, make the risk to the safety of the Canadian public too great, and this carries more weight for me, compared to your vulnerable circumstances,” the letter said.
After U.S. officials intervened, Canadian immigration officials denied Almsrawi’s refugee application with minimal explanation
US authorities prevented her from boarding her flight to Toronto and informed the Syrian refugee that she was on their No Fly List
She said she doesn’t know why her name would be included, while Almsrawi’s lawyer Erin Simpson has argued that the Canadian government has not provided any evidence that they are actually investigating whether her client’s name appears on the list.
“Arwa is a common name,” Simpson noted Toronto staradding that many members of Almsrawi’s family share the same first and last name.
Almsrawi and Simpson are now challenging Canada’s decision in federal court, although it is currently unclear when their case will be heard.
Now Almsrawi has accused Canadian immigration officials of transphobic discrimination.
After being stuck at Istanbul airport for two months, she was interviewed by a UAE-based Canadian diplomat, who later revoked her refugee status.
Almsrawi claimed that the government official was hostile and aggressive towards her Toronto star reported.
Almsrawi claimed that the government official was hostile and aggressive towards her
She claims the diplomat accused her of changing her gender to gain entry to Canada.
“You did what you did with your body to enter Canada,” the diplomat said, according to Almsrawi’s statement.
It has now been seven months since she arrived at Istanbul airport in a state of legal limbo, which her lawyer described as “Kafkaesque”.
Almsrawi fears being forced to return to Syria, but she has struggled to gain entry to another country.
“No country is willing to accept me,” she told the newspaper Star. “I have nowhere to go.”
In an interview with a psychiatrist, Alsmrawi revealed that she has attempted suicide twice since being stranded at the airport.
Canadian officials recently told her that she will no longer receive food or other accommodation starting October 2.
She then claimed that the diplomat accused her of becoming transgender to gain entry into Canada
In a statement to the Stara spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada defended their reputation.
“Canada has a proud history of protecting and resettling those most in need of resettlement, including 2SLGBTQI+ REFUGEES and their families,” the spokesperson said.