With Travel Ban In Limbo, Family Returns To Minnesota From Somalia

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On Thursday morning, the fate of President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban remained in the hands of three judges in a federal appeals court.

The executive order would temporarily ban refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days. It also would prevent refugees for entering for 120 days and refugees from Syria would be indefinitely banned from the U.S.

Some of those affected by the ban here in Minnesota are grateful things have been stalled, at least for the time being.

Kamaal Mohamed's heart feels whole again now that his family is back home in Minnesota.

"I am very, very happy … that I was finally able to reunite with my family here in the United States of America," said Mohamed, who landed at MSP International Airport on Wednesday night.

Last week, Mohamed's wife, who is a permanent resident, but not a U.S. citizen, was denied permission to return back to Minnesota after they traveled to Somalia.

Mohamed had to make the difficult decision to wait to return to Minnesota, stranded with many others until the executive order was paused late last week.

"It's been a long, long journey and a lot of people are still in the same boat. Those families…are taking a little window of advantage that is happening right now," said Mohamed.

With the travel ban now on hold, the family was able to reunite with loved ones, but Mohamed still admits the future is uncertain.

"It is really hard…when you don't know what the future might hold. This happened today, you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow," said Mohamed.

A decision by the appeals court could come before the end of the week and may seal the fate for thousands of others from those seven different countries who could be stuck in limbo once again.