Today, U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Nydia Velazquez traveled to JFK airport to demand the release of refugees being held under the president’s executive order. After meeting with officials from the Custom and Border Patrol agency, one of the refugees, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, an Iraqi translator who helped the United States government, was released.  Reps. Nadler and Velazquez are still working to release 11 others being held at JFK under the new executive order.

Reps. Nadler and Velazquez issued the following joint statement:

“Today, we saw in real human terms the damage and the absurdity of Trump’s policies. The president’s executive order is mean-spirited, ill-conceived, and ill-advised.  The order almost banned a man from entering the country who has worked for the United States government for 10 years, who risked his life to help us and to help our troops, and who loves our country.  Thankfully, we did not sit idly by.  We took action.  We demanded his release, and the release of the others who are being unlawfully detained. We are pleased to announce that Hameed Khalid Darweesh has been released and can now be reunited with his family.

“This should not happen in America.  We shouldn’t have to demand the release of refugees one by one.  We must fight this executive order in the streets, in the courts, anywhere, anytime.  We must resist.  We must fight.  We must keep working to keep America the land of the free and the home of the brave.”