Woman who joined Islamic State starts fight to return to US
WASHINGTON – An Alabama woman who joined the Islamic State has lost the first round in her legal fight to return to the U.S. with her toddler son.
A federal judge in Washington denied a request to consider Hoda Muthana’s case on an emergency basis. That means she won’t be able to immediately leave a refugee camp in Syria and fight her citizenship claim inside the U.S.
But Judge Reggie Walton did say the 24-year-old woman’s lawyer made a “valid argument” for her right to citizenship during a hearing Monday.
The U.S. says Muthana is not a citizen because her father was a Yemeni diplomat at the time of her birth in New Jersey. Her lawyers argue he was no longer a diplomat at the time. A ruling could come this summer.
Thank you for visiting Spokesman.com. To continue reading this story and enjoying our local journalism please subscribe or log in.
You have reached your article limit for this month.
Subscribe now and enjoy unlimited digital access to Spokesman.com
Unlimited Digital Access
Stay connected to Spokane for as little as 99¢!
Subscribe for access
You have reached your article limit for this month.
Subscribe now and enjoy unlimited digital access to Spokesman.com
Unlimited Digital Access
Stay connected to Spokane for as little as 99¢!
Subscribe for access
Oops, it appears there has been a technical problem. To access this content as intended, please try reloading the page or returning at a later time. Already a Spokesman-Review subscriber? Activate or Log in