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Muhammad Ali Jr. says he was detained at Florida airport because of his religion

Muhammad Ali Jr., the son of the legendary boxer, was born in Philadelphia, is a U.S. citizen, has no criminal record and possesses a recently reissued valid passport.

None of that, however, stopped Ali and his mother from being detained for more than two hours early in February at a Florida airport after Ali admitted to a Customs & Border Patrol officer that he is a Muslim.

Ali told CBS This Morning on Monday that upon arriving in Fort Lauderdale from Jamaica earlier this month, he was stopped by an officer and asked his religion. When he said he was Muslim, he was detained for an hour and 45 minutes and was questioned before being released.

His mother, Khalilah Ali, was also detained, but released quicker than her 44-year-old son. Both Alis said they were in wheelchairs at the time.

“Immigration came up to me and pulled me aside and asked me my name first,” Ali Jr. said. “I said Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ibn Ali. And he said, ‘What religion are you?’ I said, ‘Muslim,’ and he said, ‘Come with me.’ So they took me to another room and it’s like he didn’t believe me or whatever, but he asked me again, ‘What is your name?’ and ‘What is your religion?’ ”

Ali Jr. later said, “I was kind of wondering why he asked me about my religion. I was like, ‘What does that matter?’ ”

According to the Miami Herald, a customs official denied that Ali Jr.’s religion played a role in his detainment.

“It wasn’t because he’s a Muslim and it wasn’t because of his Arabic-sounding name,,” said Daniel Hetlage, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told the newspaper.

Muhammad Ali Jr. (L) reportedly was asked about his religion and detained for about two hours following a flight from Jamaica.
Muhammad Ali Jr. (L) reportedly was asked about his religion and detained for about two hours following a flight from Jamaica.