State of Washington, et al v. Donald J. Trump, et al

Filing 91

Submitted (ECF) Amicus brief for review and filed Motion to become amicus curiae. Submitted by American Immigration Council, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Human Rights First, KIND (Kids in Need of Defense), and Tahirih Justice Center. Date of service: 02/06/2017. [10304762] [17-35105]--[COURT UPDATE: Attached exhibits (originally submitted in entry [92]), resent notice. 02/07/2017 by LA] (Mincer, Jonathan) [Entered: 02/06/2017 11:59 PM]

EXHIBIT F

Honorable James L. Robart
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE

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II
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Juweiya Abdiaziz ALI; A.F.A., a minor; Reema Case No.: 2:17-cv-00135-JLR
Khaled DAHMAN; G.E., a minor; Ahmed
Mohammed Ahmed ALI; E.A., a minor; on
behalf of themselves as individuals and on
DECLARATION OF AZIN SAFARI
behalf of others similarly situated,
IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS
Plaintiffs,

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v.
Donald TRUMP, President of the United States
of America; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE;
Tom SHANNON, Acting Secretary of State;
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY; John F. KELLY, Secretary of
Homeland Security; U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND
IMMIGRATION SERVICES; Lori
SCIALABBA, Acting Director ofUSCIS;
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE; Michael DEMPSEY, Acting
Director of National Intelligence,

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Defendants.
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DECLARATION OF
AZINSAFARI
Case No. 2:17-cv-00135-JLR

NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT

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615 Second Ave., Ste. 400
Seattle, WA 98104
206-957-8611

I, Azin SAFARI, declare under penalty of perjury as follows:
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1.

I am a United States citizen and I moved to the United States on July 3, 2011 on an

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immigrant visa through maniage when I was 23 years old from Iran. I became a U.S. citizen on
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May 28,2015. I cunently live in Westminster, Colorado and work as a programmer for a
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marketing company.
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My parents live in Iran and miss us tenibly every day. They once went through getting a

tourism visa and came to visit us in 2013. Due to the fact that there is no U.S. embassy in Iran, it
cost my parents thousands of dollars to travel to Austria, stay in a hotel, and go for their
interview. After 18 months of waiting for the application processing, they finally got their

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visitor's visa to come to the U.S. and visit us for 3 months.

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3.

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afford these kinds of pressures at this age financially and emotionally. Because the whole

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process oftraveling would be so exhausting and frustrating for them to go through again, my

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father was hesitant to visit again.

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4.

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green cards so they could travel one last time and they could remain in the U.S. with me. I sent

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my petition to USCIS in July, 2015.

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5.

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was referred to the Emirates embassy and my father was refetTed to Turkey embassy for a

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consular interview. Since they didn't want to travel separately, I had to request for both to be

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When they were returning back to Iran, my father humbly told me that he really could no

After my naturalization on May 28, 2015, I decided to immediately apply for my parents'

We received their welcome letters from NVC in January 2016. This time, my mother

interviewed in one country/embassy. It took another 5 months for the National Visa Center to
change the location and update my mother's location of interview to Ankam, Turkey.
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My parents were scheduled for a consular interview in Ankara, Turkey on September 30,

2016. My mother got her visa immediately after the interview. However, they requested for 2

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supporting documents from my father to issue his visa which is still under processing.
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DECLARATION OF
AZINSAFARI
Case No. 2:17-cv-00135-JLR

NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT

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615 Second Ave., Ste. 400
Seattle, WA 98104
206-957-8611

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Although my mother had a valid visa issued on October 6, 2016, she bought her ticket for

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March 7, 2017 with the hope that my father can get his visa during this time and join her. Her
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immigrant visa expiration date was noted as March 28, 2017 so we were certain she had plenty
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of time. She was so excited every single day to finally see us.
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A week after their interview, I realized I'm pregnant. I decided to surprise my parents

when they arrive here so I kept it a secret. We were certain that at least my mother will be with
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us to help us when the baby arrives. Hence, we put all our life plans based on her arrival by
March2017.

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After 2 years of waiting and fighting to make everything work, with a baby on the way, it ruined

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our entire life plan. After 90 days of suspension, her visa will expire and all the hard work will

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turn into ashes.

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10.

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international airport to see if the order is effective yet or if we had some time left. I was willingly

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ready to do whatever I could to bring her here before the executive order became effective.

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they haven't heard the news yet and they will process all valid visas since they currently are not

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advised about any order. Also Lufthansa airline cooperated and changed my mother's ticket to

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Saturday 1/30. She packed a baggage and got ready to go to the airport in 2 hours.

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On Friday, January 29,2017, we heard the cruel news. My mother's visa was revoked.

After a few shocking hours, I started calling Custom and border Protection and Denver

CBP informed that they don't have any order yet and Denver Airport informed us that

But at the airpmi, they informed her that her ticket is voided by Lufthansa airline and all

flights from Iran to the U.S. are blocked by the airlines because they JUST received the order.

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My parents still don't know that they have a grandchild on the way. The great news will

be a sad one for them now since they know they are not able to see the baby anytime soon.
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All the joy in our lives is gone by an immature decision and a rolling pen on a paper.

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I declare under penalty of pe1jury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing i
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DECLARATION OF
AZINSAFARI
Case No. 2:17-cv-00135-JLR

NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT

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615 Second Ave., Ste. 400
Seattle, WA 98104
206-957-8611

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hue and correct to the best of my information, lmowledge, and belief.
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Executed on this 2nd day of February, 2017, in Westtninster, Colorado.
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DECLARATION OF
AZINSAFARJ
Case No. 2:17-cv-00135-JLR

NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT

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615 Second Ave., Ste. 400
Seattle, WA 98104
206-957-8611