Welcome refugees, from one who knows
WASHINGTON, DC // The mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey, is going further than most to state his opposition to president Donald Trump’s travel ban.
He has signed his own executive order banning the introduction of the directive and declaring his town a safe haven for immigrants and refugees. And he should know how migrants feel. Mohammed Khairullah is a Syrian American and former refugee. “I wanted my city to be an example of tolerance, inspire other cities and lead them to do the same,” he said.
Born in Aleppo in 1975, Mr Khairullah’s family fled during what he calls “the first uprising” against Hafez Al Assad.
Amid the mass executions, the family feared for their safety as opponents of Al Assad.
Mr Khairullah’s father first took the family to Saudi Arabia in about 1980, where they lived until they emigrated to the US in 1991, when the future Prospect Park mayor was 16.
While he was still at university, he began volunteering in local hospitals and fire departments.
“I was involved in my town in many different ways and was already dedicated to serving my community even before I decided to enter political life,” he said.
In 2001, the year Mr Khairullah received his American citizenship and earned his master’s degree in education administration, he stood for election to the Prospect Park city council and won.
“I couldn’t let the issues that were affecting my town rest and just sit and watch from afar, so I decided to try to be part of the city council,” he said. Three years later, he was elected mayor of Prospect Park – the first from an ethnic minority – and has been re-elected three times since.
When the Syrian revolution started back in 2011 and then escalated into a deadly conflict, Mr Khairullah was reminded of his family’s suffering years earlier.
“I had to help the people of Syria so I decided to help them through humanitarian channels,” he said. Between 2013 and 2015, he made seven trips to Aleppo, his native city, and the city of Idlib, taking humanitarian aid. When the Trump administration brought in the travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries, reducing the number to six in a second executive order – and blocked refugees from Syria indefinitely – Mr Khairullah decided he could not stand by.
He felt he had to assure his city that everyone was safe in Prospect Park.
The mayor’s executive order was signed with the same fanfare as the president’s.
“I consider myself part of the resistance against unfair politics and tyranny. I respect the office of the president but I don’t have to agree with all his policies. And as a mayor, my office is also executive,” Mr Khairullah declared. “This law would have torn families apart and I could not let it happen without taking serious action, so I had to assure the people of Prospect Park who trust me that they will always feel safe here.
“They can come to us for help without the fear of us acting as federal government agents and turning them in.”
Threats made against sanctuary cities such as Prospect Park by the Trump administration avoided the real problems in America, Mr Khairullah said. “While average Americans are worried about losing their health care, their effective tax rates and crumbling roads, our federal government seems to be focused on picking fights with towns that don’t agree with the president,” he said. “Washington needs to straighten out its priorities.”
Throughout his 11 years as mayor of Prospect Park, his hard work and popularity have earned him a reputation as the most successful mayor in the state of New Jersey.
“He changed a lot in the city. There is a lot of new infrastructure. That’s why he was elected four times,” said city council member Adnan Zakaria.
Mr Khairullah has also encouraged others from ethnic minorities to run for office, and there are now Hispanic and African- American members of the Prospect Park city council.
“I take people’s problems and complaints very seriously,” he said. “I care, I listen and respond. I never make their issues marginal and I do make every effort to reach out to everyone.
“The United States is a country of migrants and refugees – and that is exactly what makes America great.”
Mr Khairullah has encouraged others from ethnic minorities to run for office