President Donald Trump’s travel has affected many groups of people -- including college students. Raha Pouladi is a PhD student in North Texas -- she and her family were looking forward to a visit from her parents this spring. The problem? They live in Iran – one of the seven Muslim-majority countries under the temporary ban.
Raha Pouladi and her husband are in their living room, watching their four-year-old daughter Porochista Sardari at the piano. She recently taught herself how to play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
Porochista has been excited to see her grandparents, who live in Iran. They were supposed to visit in late March, but President Trump’s travel ban has put those plans on hold. Pouladi is worried for her parents, but also for Porochista.
“Oh my God, how am I going to tell my daughter? You know, ‘Spring’s going to come, but your grandparents won’t,’” Pouladi said. “Until now, I haven’t told her yet, but I don’t know what I should do.”
Pouladi’s father has been in failing health. Last year, he was diagnosed with dementia and has been losing his ability to walk. She feels time is limited.
“Because of my father’s health, we don’t know what gonna happen tomorrow,” Pouladi said. “So we don’t have to take every day as a granted thing.”
Pouladi was born in Iran. That’s where she met her husband, Reza Sardari. In 2011, they moved to the U.S. to attend the University of Texas at Arlington, where they are both PhD students studying urban planning. They both have student visas. Pouladi said was upset when she learned about the President’s travel ban.
“First of all, I was so disappointed and I was just like hit, like a big rock hit on me,” Pouladi said. “And then, I guess, [I] felt kind of like confusion mixed with anger or sadness. Like, why this should happen?”
Across the country, people with ties to the seven Muslim-majority countries listed in the executive order have a lot of questions about the travel band and concerns about their loved ones.
The 90-day ban affects people in Iran, as well as Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya. Even though the president’s order is temporary, Pouladi is concerned the ban will be extended. Still, she says she’s always been thankful to live in the U.S.
“I never felt like unwanted in this country. I came here as a symbol of the free world, but now I feel rejected from the society and I don’t want daughter to feel same way,” Pouladi said.
College officials across the country have weighed in, including leaders at UTA, which has been cited as the fifth most diverse college campus in the U.S. The university says its students, faculty and staff come from more than 100 countries. UTA president Vistasp Karbhari issued a statement this week urging students and staff from one of the seven banned countries not to leave the U.S. for now.
At their North Dallas apartment, Pouladi plays with her daughter. She’s still struggling to understand the travel ban -- much less explain it to Porochrista, who was born in the U.S. They still hold out hope that Porochista’s grandparents are coming.
“Are you excited for spring?” Pouladi asks her daughter.
Yes,” she answers.
“Why?” Pouladi asks her. “Who’s coming? Your grandparents?”
“Yesss.” Porchista answers.
Pouladi grew up in Iran during the war with Iraq in the ‘80s. She says she understands the fear of terror, but doesn’t understand the reason for banning an entire nation from the U.S. If anything, Pouladi says she feels she loves the U.S. more than some because she sacrificed so much to get here.
