Utahns welcome last refugee family to the state before executive order affecting travel takes effect

Friday, Feb. 10, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY — As the afternoon sun tried vainly to break through the thick inversion hanging over the valley Feb. 2, the Salt Lake International Airport was alive with people as several hundred Utah residents gathered to welcome a single family as they landed in their new home. The welcoming committee was not there to greet a celebrity or even long-time friends. They were there to greet perfect strangers. Most of the crowd had never seen or even knew the names of the seven members of the Ali Hassan family, but the homemade placards made it clear that made no difference. 

Bearing signs with messages such as “Welcome to Utah,” “This land is your land” and “No hate, no fear, welcome refugees,” the crowd awaited the arrival of the last family of refugees to reach Utah before the executive order restricting refugees took effect.

Creating this kind of atmosphere in America is important, said Angie Roberts, who went to the airport to welcome the Ali Hassan family. As a U.S. citizen, “I wanted to show my support for the refugees arriving,” Roberts said. “We’re meant to be a welcoming community to everyone. It’s important to remain true to the hopes this country gives to refugees.”

Though the refugees’ plane was delayed for nearly an hour, the placards continued to bob enthusiastically as the minutes passed. When the Ali Hassan family finally arrived, a cheer arose. The family stood blinking in surprise amongst total strangers who had come and waited for hours to make them feel welcome.

Tears flowed freely and smiles came easily as onlookers watched the family. Each member of the Ali Hassan family smiled at the welcome.

The huge welcome for the Ali Hassan family sent “a message to our administration that we should not close our [country’s] doors,” said Adan Batar, director of Catholic Community Services of Utah’s refugee resettlement program, who helped coordinate the welcome at the airport. 

Before coming to Utah, the Ali Hassan family had spent several years in a refugee camp in Pakistan. Originally from Afghanistan, they were forced to flee their homeland when the Taliban invaded their village. As with all refugees resettled in Utah, they were required to pass stringent background and medical tests before being granted refugee status.

Despite all this preparation, the family suddenly was told they might not be let in America. 

“The family was worried,” Batar said, but they were allowed in just as the Trump administration began a 120-day hold on refugee resettlement. 

Batar said that after receiving the warm welcome at the Salt Lake International airport, the Ali Hassan family were very touched. “They were crying and just saying, ‘Wow,’” he said. “They said American people have big hearts.” 

Now that they are in Utah, CCS plans to get them all the help they need to become American citizens one day, Batar said. CCS has already rented and fully furnished an apartment for the Ali Hassan family, which they were brought to after being greeted at the airport. That’s just the start of what CCS will do for them, Batar said. CCS will help them apply for a Social Security number, explain Utah’s public transportation system, enroll their kids in school, teach the parents resume writing and other job related skills, and more.

“After we do this, [the refugees] will soon start paying their bills and taking care of their family like everyone else. Our goal is to teach them to be self-sufficient in six months,” Batar said. Each refugee family that CCS has helped over the years has become self-sufficient in this time frame, he said.

Once the refugees are settled in, they do so much for the community, Batar said. “The most important thing is that refugees add diversity,” he said. “They enrich our culture.” Batar said that he has seen many refugees open ethnic stores and restaurants, adding a taste of their culture to America.

“We Utahns, we Catholics want refugees here,” Batar said. “We don’t want our doors closed.”