Crystal Lake doctor held at O'Hare, concerned about Trump's immigration executive order

CRYSTAL LAKE – Dr. Amir Heydari has visited his home country, Iran, multiple times in the past several years.

However, when he returned from his latest trip, he had a different experience when he got off the plane.

The Crystal Lake-based surgeon was stopped for questioning Sunday at O’Hare International Airport after returning from Iran.

“For the most part, it was just standard questioning I’ve been asked before, but this time it was a little different,” Heydari said. “It just felt like the only reason I was pulled out of the line is because of my country of origin.”

Heydari’s return came after President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order placed a temporary hold on immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. While Heydari said his questioning didn’t last long, he’s still worried about Trump’s new policy.

“It just concerns me that some people look at this policy and may think it’s not a big deal, but we have to be careful about our human rights and people possibly taking them away,” Heydari said.

“I’m a physician and health care provider, and we take care of people from all over on a daily basis,” Heydari added. “We take care of them without any kind of discrimination such as race, religion or political views. So that’s why I’m at odds with a policy that is trying to turn away refugees and people in need.”

Heydari, a general and bariatric surgeon for Centegra Health System, has dual citizenship in Iran and the U.S.

He first left Iran for the U.S. on Jan. 20, 1981 – the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the nation’s 40th president – and has lived in Crystal Lake since 1995.

About 10 years ago, Heydari returned to Iran after his father died, and an Iranian passport was required for his travel. Since that trip, Heydari said he’s visited Iran in the past several years to see his 88-year-old mother, who has a hard time traveling because of her age.

“I really was not detained when I got back from that trip, I was just taken for extra questioning,” Heydari said. “Everything was very cordial. It just took an extra 12 to 13 minutes of delay.”

Heydari said officers asked him basic questions, such as where he was in Iran, why he left for Iran and who else was he visiting, among other inquiries.

“I really felt the immigration officers here were polite, and I felt they were very apologetic for taking me to questioning. It was just something they had to do. And like I said, I feel they did so because of where I’m from and the new order,” Heydari said.

Even so, Heydari said he was concerned for a younger woman who also was pulled aside.

“She just reached out to me and said she was kept for about two and a half hours of questioning, but was thankfully released and is back home now,” Heydari said.

Heydari has a wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and has three American-born children. He said he considers his family to be “extremely” American.

“With this order, I’m also afraid that we’re losing the chance of getting a lot of bright people here who can improve the most wonderful country in the world,” Heydari said.

Several Illinois politicians also have spoken out on the controversial order.

"Such detention is unacceptable and must be remedied immediately," Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, wrote on Medium.com.

Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield, also said he was against the order, saying it was “overly broad” and has an “inconsistent” interpretation.

“This has led to unintended consequences, like the barring of legal permanent residents and the rejection of Syrian Christians at the airport, a religious minority that was supposed to be protected by the executive order,” Hultgren said. “Keeping America first means keeping our principles first. ... We should have our arms open to those who are fleeing oppression and seeking safety, not turning them away at the door.”

O’Hare was one of several U.S. airports where travelers have been held for questioning since Trump’s new order. As a result, thousands of protesters arrived at the airport during the weekend.