Osamah Mahyoub and Emad Al-Azabi survived armed rebels, poisonous snakes, sinister smugglers and a journey that took them through multiple continents. But their greatest threat was the U.S. immigration system. The story reads like a movie, with twists and turns and so many dramatic encounters. Here is Rowaida Abdelaziz on what it was like to report it.
What was the seed of the story?
As a reporter who covers the Muslim travel ban, I hear about and collect so many heartbreaking and compelling stories of family separation, fleeing towards safety, and making arduous journeys for a better life. This is how I came across the story of Osamah and Emad.
I was hooked from the first moment my source was telling me about their plight across the world. I felt like I was listening to a movie script, always the sign of a strong story, and immediately knew I needed to investigate.
Tell us about how you communicated with the men?
I spoke with both individuals nearly every day for two months over the phone. It was tricky at times because you can’t call into the ICE detention center; they can only call you. So I had no idea when or what time they would call, and if I missed it I’d have to wait until the next day or if I was lucky, they’d try again. Scheduling was a bit of a mess! But we caught each other most times and spoke about their journeys, their families and what the U.S. was like. Their days were so monotonous, so they very much looked forward to our chat together. It was extremely moving.
Since you couldn't travel because of the pandemic, what was most challenging in conducting your reporting?
The best stories in journalism — whether they are long-form or shorter pieces — are in the details. It was incredibly challenging not to be able to visit these men and capture those very specifics that humanize and add color to a story. Since I wasn’t able to travel and meet with them, I wasn’t able to capture their emotions when speaking or their physical features. This meant getting creative and reporting on other captivating details instead, like their childhood growing up and the scenes they saw along the way during their journey. It was still tough to do over the phone and not make the men feel like they were repeating themselves and minimize their current predicament: being held by immigration officials and facing the threat of deportation.
Anything you'd like to add?
Single, able-bodied young men who flee war are often demonized and vilified and do not get the same sympathy of women, children, or the elderly who flee war. It is often assumed that those men should endure the war, pick up arms, and if they do flee, they are likely to be a security threat in their own countries. These toxic gendered expectations make it easier to deny men like Osamah their rights with little to no sympathy.
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