No peace for Nobel prize winner at US immigration checkpoints
August 25 2009 by Rebekah Nahai
Peace worker run in with US immigration
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire has been detained by US immigration officials for the second time in three months.
Maguire flew from Ireland into Dulles airport, near Washington DC, on her way to peace events in New Mexico. After passing through regular immigration proceedings, she was detained for over two hours and missed her connecting flight.
She stayed overnight in Washington DC at her own expense following United Airlines’ statement that they were ‘not responsible’ for her situation.
On May 14 Maguire passed through Houston International Airport in Texas on her way back from a conference in Guatemala hosted by Nobel Peace Women Laureates.
She was detained there by US immigration officials and questioned about a visit to Palestine where she had been involved in peace work.
Maguire was advised by officials in Texas to obtain a 10-year US visa to avoid future problems with US immigration.
Maguire was granted the visa but continues to experience problems with US border control, as evidenced by her Dulles airport experience.
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