DEARBORN — In November, The Arab American News published a report about a paralyzed Dearborn man who was placed on the U.S. No Fly List by the Terrorist Screening Center without any explanation or evidence of wrongdoing.   After a successful federal lawsuit filed by the law firm, Ayad and Associates against the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice and Terrorist Screening Center in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jamal Rizk, 54, has now been removed from the list according to the Arab American Civil Rights League.   Rizk, a U.S. citizen of Middle Eastern descent, was repeatedly and arbitrarily denied the right to fly out of the United States, because his name was listed on the No Fly List.    

He attempted on several occasions to travel to his native country of Lebanon to receive a specific type of stem cell treatment that is not available in the U.S. and would help his paralysis (a result of gunshot wounds from a 2004 gas station robbery).   He is paralyzed from the chest down and permanently confined to a wheelchair, which makes other means of travel extremely difficult and burdensome. Unfortunately, he was prevented from flying by federal authorities, thus creating a great personal hardship. 

Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Dawud Walid and ACRL Founder Nabih Ayad speak with the media.

Two and a half months after filing suit, Attorney Nabih Ayad, and the Arab American Civil Rights League were informed this week by the federal government that they had amended their records and that Mr. Rizk is now free to travel without hindrance.

Although Rizk has been informed that he’s being removed from the List, he told The Arab American News by phone that he’s still waiting on a letter that’s expected to be sent to him in a few days that will officially confirm the announcement. He says he plans on visiting Lebanon next month.  Rizk said the news came as a major relief for him and his family, but he hopes moving forward such situations can be prevented by U.S. agencies relying on substantial evidence to arrest people, and nothing else.  He noted the whole situation had taken a toll on his family, and was extremely inconvenient.   

   “We are extremely pleased with the federal government’s decision to update their records and allow Mr. Rizk to travel freely and get the medical treatment that he has sought for several months now,” said Ayad, who’s the ACRL’s chairman.  “It sends a message to our government that we will continue to challenge such egregious conduct on behalf of Arab Americans who are denied basic rights without due process.”    ACRL Executive Director, Rana Abbas said while the group is  satisfied with the outcome of the case, its work is far from over. The No Fly List was instituted in 2003 and has been contested by civil and human rights groups for almost a decade now. In recent years, thousands of people have been barred from commercial air travel because of their inclusion or apparent inclusion on this “List,” which is a component of the federal government’s watch list system, without being told why they are on the list or given a chance to rebut the basis of their inclusion.