Khaled Khateeb, cinematographer for the Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary The White Helmets, has been reportedly banned from attending the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.
The White Helmets centered around workers assisting people affected by the civil war in Syria. It is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. The Department of Homeland Security has decided not to allow Khateeb, a 21-year-old citizen of Syria, to travel to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony. It is set to air live on Sunday Feb. 26, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Associated Press reported that the last-minute decision was made after the Trump Administration found "derogatory information" regarding Khateeb. Khateeb was scheduled to travel from Istanbul to the United States on Saturday Feb. 25 and had been issued a travel visa. However, Turkish authorities detained Khateeb and informed him that he would need an additional passport waiver to be allowed into the country. The AP reports that the United States government declined to issue Khateeb's waiver.
If the film were to win in its category, director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara would be accepting the award. The Trump Administration has not explained why Khateeb is not being permitted to enter the country.