But, they keep telling us, it’s not a Muslim ban

I wrote this for The Guardian.

They stopped Muhammad Ali Jr.

On 7 February, border agents at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airport held the son of the boxing legend Muhammad Ali for two hours. According to his lawyer, they repeatedly asked him about his religion.

Just last June, the world mourned the passing of his father, perhaps the most famous Muslim on the planet, as an American hero. Eight months and a presidential election later, Muslim Americans, including those with notable fathers, can’t even return to their own country without problems.

But, they keep telling us, it’s not a Muslim ban.

Muhammad Ali Jr is not a visa-holder from Yemen, Iraq, Iran or Libya. He is not a refugee from Syria or Somalia or Sudan. He was born in Philadelphia. If they won’t let him into the USA, where is he supposed to go?

Read the rest here.