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After 24 Hours, Stony Brook Student Released From JFK Detention

Vahideh Rasekhi, a doctoral student at Stony Brook University, speaks to the media after being held at John F. Kennedy Airport for over 24 hours. An Iranian citizen, Rasekhi has lived in the U.S. for over 10 years.
Courtesy of Stony Brook Press
Vahideh Rasekhi, a doctoral student at Stony Brook University, speaks to the media after being held at John F. Kennedy Airport for over 24 hours. An Iranian citizen, Rasekhi has lived in the U.S. for over 10 years.

A Stony Brook doctoral student has been released after being detained at John F. Kennedy Airport following President Trump’s executive order barring citizens from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

Vahideh Rasekhi, an Iranian citizen, was released Sunday afternoon after being held for over 24 hours.

“I was scared. I was super scared that I gonna go back, that I’m going to be deported. I came here legally!”

She said she was looking forward to getting some rest, to “go home, relax. I haven’t slept in more than 48 hours. I’m so tired, I don’t know how I look, I’m exhausted.”

Rasekhi returned to Iran in November to visit family. She has lived in the United States for more than 10 years.

Stony Brook is advising students from the seven countries named in the executive order from traveling outside of the United States unless absolutely necessary.

To learn more, go to the Stony Brook Press.

Copyright 2017 WSHU

Terry Sheridan is an award-winning radio journalist. As part of his duties as Long Island Bureau chief for WSHU, he oversees and mentors a newsroom staffed by students of the Stony Brook School of Journalism, where he is also a lecturer and adjunct professor.
Demi Guo

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.