Yasmin Ansari Presents ‘Artemis Act’ to U.S. Congress

«Yasmin Ansari» by presenting the Artemis Act to the U.S. Congress, called for a halt to the deportation of religious refugees.

Yasmin Ansari, an Iranian-American member of the U.S. House of Representatives, who had previously introduced the «Persian Gulf Act» to Congress, this time presented a bill titled the «Artemis Act» to the U.S. Congress aimed at supporting religious refugees, calling for a halt to the deportation of these individuals from America.

Artemis Ghasemzadeh, a 27-year-old Iranian Christian citizen, migrated to the United States with her brother in recent months but faced the law on deportation of undocumented refugees from America and was transferred to Panama. She now faces the threat of deportation to Iran, an issue that if returned, would expose her to serious threats due to her religious beliefs.

Yasmin Ansari, a member of the House of Representatives, also stated last Tuesday evening, May 20, in a message posted on her official website and social media platform X: «This legislative bill was introduced with the aim of protecting due process and preventing the swift deportation of individuals who are citizens of countries or are being returned to countries that the U.S. State Department has blacklisted due to severe violations of religious freedoms.»

She also, referring to Artemis’s deprivation of the interview to determine «credible fear» which according to law is due to asylum applicants, added: «Artemis Ghasemzadeh was clearly denied the right to due process that is guaranteed by law for refugees. Returning her to the Islamic Republic of Iran could pose an immediate and possibly fatal threat to her, both as a woman and as a Christian convert. Just a few days ago, I had the honor of speaking with Artemis via WhatsApp, she was very brave and resilient. My hope is that this law will prevent the repetition of the nightmare she experienced.»

Artemis also released a statement saying: «As a Christian convert who had fled danger, I trusted the United States to be a haven for freedom to practice my beliefs. Despite warnings, I entered with confidence in America’s welcome. However, my deportation to Panama without the opportunity to present my case shattered my American dream. I hope one day America will again be a refuge for those seeking religious freedom.»

Immigrant rights advocates, following the release of this legislation by Yasmin Ansari and Artemis’s statement, while accusing the Trump administration, acknowledged that the Trump administration has, contrary to court orders, deported approximately 12 migrants from countries such as Myanmar and Vietnam to South Sudan.

Refugee rights activists, by submitting a formal petition to federal court in Boston, while requesting a federal judge to issue an order for the return of these individuals, stated: «The Trump administration, despite a previous court ruling, has carried out swift deportations of migrants to countries other than their countries of origin, without first giving them the opportunity to express concerns about the possibility of torture or abuse at the alternative destination.»

It should be noted that the court explicitly prohibited the Trump administration from carrying out such deportations without prior review.