Family Separated By Travel Ban Reunited
DENVER (CBS4) – A family of six reunited after a mother and her baby were stranded overseas due to President Donald Trump's travel ban.
The executive order, issued last month, bars citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria.
A federal judge based in Seattle Washington put a temporary hold on the ban on Friday, creating a window of opportunity for people like Hanan Isweiri to return to the U.S.
Isweiri, who was born in Libya, considers Fort Collins home. She has lived there with her family for more than 7-years.
She flew back to Libya in early January for her father's funeral. But the trip turned into a longer stay than expected when the travel restrictions went into effect.
After the ban was lifted on Friday, Isweiri's husband and three other children found out that she would be coming home on Sunday.
"Anticipation is what I'm feeling the most," said Manar Buhalfaya, Isweiri's teenage daughter.
Manar waited at DIA with her younger brother and sister, and their father for the return of their mother.
She said the separation had put a strain on the family.
"(There were) really difficult times where we just couldn't stand it anymore. And it was just too much stress, too much pressure on our family," Manar said.
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When Isweiri arrived, her husband and children embraced her with tears.
"No words can explain my feelings," Manar said.
They also reunited with the baby brother they hadn't seen in a month.
Isweiri said getting back to the U.S. was not an easy journey.
"I'm really glad it's over, and I am home," Isweiri said.
Isweiri attends Colorado State University as a graduate student, and is one of three CSU students stranded overseas due to the travel ban. A CSU spokesperson said that the other two students had not yet been able to make it back to the US.
"I have valid visa. I was in transit. So, why I can not enter the country?" Isweiri said.
Isweiri said that while she understands the need to protect the country, she does not agree with the way it was done.
"If you want to ban whoever from your country, it's your country," Isweiri said. "But, just tell us before. Let us finish our school. Because you accepted us and we came here, and we spent a lot of money to finish."
Dr. Tony Frank, CSU's president, released a statement saying that the school is actively engaged with the students who were caught up in trying to return to the US from their home countries. He also said Colorado's senators have been tremendousy supportive in offering assistance.
RELATED: White House Predicts Courts Will Reinstate Travel Ban
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.
