Ahmed Fadaam’s personal life was drastically altered by the stroke of President Donald Trump’s pen.

Originally from Iraq, the assistant professor of communications at Elon University is essentially forbidden from returning to his family. Trump’s 13th executive order, which prohibits travel for 120 days from seven majority Muslim countries — was enacted to fulfill its title: “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.”

But for Fadaam, it strips him from his loved ones.

“If I leave the United States, I am not sure if I will be allowed access back in,” Fadaam said. “Having a reunion with some of my family members that are still in Baghdad is now impossible.”

Fadaam is among those affected by Trump’s actions on Elon’s campus. . While Elon is only a small institution, the power of Trump’s action resonates even here.

Fadaam registered for an immigration visa in 2009 and moved to the United States in 2012. A devoted Muslim, Fadaam labors intensely to explain to his students that all practitioners of his faith are not extremists. But one of Trump’s pertinent messages on the campaign trail and his infant presidency was to eradicate “radical islamic terrorism,” a weakness he said categorizes President Barack Obama’s legacy. Trump’s administration has said the ban will prevent attacks such as the Pulse Night Club and San Bernardino massacres spawned by ISIS recruits. But the perpetrators of these acts were not citizens of the banned countries, a critique many who oppose the bill have voiced.

Fadaam believes this legislation blatantly contradicts inherent United States principles.

“When we came to the United States, we came looking for freedom and hope, and by signing this order, President Trump has denied us that,” Fadaam said. “The United States was built by immigrants and refugees. We’re here — whether we are Iraqi, Yemeni or Libyans — we are just trying to live in peace and serve our new society.”

A protester rides the bus at Raleigh-Durham International airport poses as a crying Statue of Liberty. Photo by Christina Casillo

Showing support

In just one week after Trump’s inauguration, the battlefield for protesting his presidency has expanded from the cluttered streets into Airport terminals. Raleigh-Durham International airport was one of countless venues filled with witty signs proclaiming support for refugees. Safia Swimelar, a professor of political science and policy studies at Elon, was one of those protesters, and said she can not understand why Trump would commit such a drastic move.

“We have to stand up for American values,” Swimelar said. “This is who we are. We accept all people. Ruling without consulting lawyers, without consulting bureaucratic agencies, is bordering on authoritarianism, and we can’t accept that.”

Political Science and Policy Studies professors aren’t the only ones refusing to accept this executive order. Elon University Chaplain Jan Fuller believes that “being called a Muslim is a compliment.”

As a Christian who grew up in Lebanon, a country with a prominent Muslim community, Fuller said she has “the highest regard for those practicing Islam.”

“I did not grow up afraid of Muslims, unlike many Americans that were raised after 2001,” Fuller said. “Not everyone feels the same way that the president does.”

Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and policy studies at Elon protested this weekend for immigrants. Photo by Christina Casillo

Despite practicing a different faith, Fuller asks Christians in Elon’s community to pray for and reach out to Muslims and not to “distance yourself from others by putting them under labels.”

Like the rest of the community, Fuller received Elon President Lambert’s email Jan. 29 containing a statement on the executive order.

A grandson of immigrants, Lambert wrote that the order has “spurred deep concern” among the Elon community. While he said no members of the Elon community are stranded abroad by the chaos after the ban, he and a contingent of other state educational leaders would travel to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 31 to meet with North Carolina senators.

“As a leader in international education and as a compassionate campus community dedicated to welcoming peoples of all faiths and cultures from more than 50 nations, we are monitoring this unfolding situation very carefully,” Lambert wrote.

When approached for a comment, Elon’s Global Educaton Center said they “stand behind” Lambert’s statement.

After receiving the letter, Fuller “appreciated the President’s letter last night and I know that Elon’s administration starting with President Lambert is going to stand up for the rights of all of Elon’s students.”

Study abroad impact

The university also touched on the executive order’s impact on Elon’s study abroad program. Renowned nationally by the U.S. News and World Report, Elon places extreme significance for educational experiences in other countries. Seventy-four percent of Elon’s class of 2016 studied abroad for at least one semester, and 465 students studied abroad this fall. Dan Anderson, vice president of university communications at Elon, does not hypothesize the executive order is an immediate threat regarding safety. None of Elon’s programs visit the seven countries banned by Trump. But Elon students also venture to countries with dense Muslim populations such as India and Morocco. Iran has issued a ban on Americans entering their country as an act of revenge. If other nations follow suit, Anderson said it may cause problems in the future.

“Depending on how other countries are responding, then that could have an impact,” Anderson said. “If there is a retaliation because we are American, then that will definitely affect where we can travel.”

Moving Forward

Fadaam said he appreciates Elon’s commitment to addressing the situation in all aspects, saying “they have proved that time and time again, that the school is against any discrimination.” With Trump’s presidency already proving to be controversial in only his second week, Fadaam hopes that Elon students will continue to be informed. He said the ban Trump imposed is based in fear, and the only way to improve as a community and a nation is to respect one another.

“President Trump isn’t the only one who wants to make America great again,” Fadaam said. “Everyone wants to make America great. We are here. We are working hard, we are contributing to society, we want to make America great.

“Discussion is the best way to solve these issues. Since we are at a place like Elon where everyone is allowed to speak their mind, then we should.”