Jordanian minor held at US centre for arriving unaccompanied, ministry says

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it is following up on the case of Jordanian minor Mohammad Abu Khadra, who was taken into custody at Heartland Centre by US authorities upon arrival to the US.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Sabah Al Rafie, said Abu Khadra is being held because he is under 18 and arrived unaccompanied, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The move is “not connected” to the recent presidential executive order banning the entry of travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, Rafie added. Rafie said the embassy in Washington has contacted Abu Khadra’s parents and the lawyer working on the case, noting that his parents are aware of the incident.

She added that the minor had a visa that does not allow him to study in the US, noting that he will be released once all issues are cleared.