Fox2A former American serviceman has claimed his sick mother died in Iraq after being barred from the U.S. under President Donald Trump’s so-called ‘Muslim Ban’.
However, just days later, a local Imam has disputed Mike Hager’s story, which put the blame on Donald Trump for his mother’s death.
Iraqi-born Hager, an American citizen who served in the US army as an interpreter, told Fox2 that his mother fell ill during a trip to see their relatives in Iraq.
Fox2His mother, 75-year-old Naimma Hager, has lived in American since 1995 and holds a green card. When she fell ill in Iraq, the family attempted to return to America to seek medical treatment.
Hager told Fox2 that, upon their arrival in an Iraq airport, only he was allowed to return to America under the new immigration blanket ban.
Hager claimed his mother died after being refused entry to America to seek medical treatment.
GettyHe added:
They destroyed us. I went with my family, I came back by myself. They destroyed our family.
I was just shocked. I had to put my mom back on the wheelchair and take her back and call the ambulance and she was very very upset. She knew right there if we send her back to the hospital she’s going to pass away – she’s not going to make it.
I really believe this in my heart: if they would have let us in, my mom – she would have made it and she would have been sitting right here next to me. She’s gone because of him.
Since his appearance on Fox2, Hager’s story has been disputed by Imam Husham Al-Hussainy, the leader of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center in Dearborn.
Al-Hussainy has come forward in another interview with Fox2, saying Hager’s mother had kidney disease and was receiving treatment in Michigan before she travelled to Iraq to visit her family.
The Imam also stated Naimma passed away on 22 January – five days before President Trump signed the executive order banning travel into the US from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.
A Facebook post from Mike Hager’s account last month memorialised his mother on 22 January, appearing to corroborate Al-Husseiny’s version of events.
The post has since been deleted. When confronted about the alleged lies, Hager denied the accusations and said, ‘Since I lost my mom I’ve been on heavy medication – I can’t even sleep. I did not make anything up.’
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.