On Muslim-ban: NASA Scientist Detained By US Officials

On Valentine's Day, it is ordinary for people to experience their own share of heartaches while in an unsteady relationship. But none has ever made real headlines than those of the relationship between a NASA scientist and the US government run by Donald Trump. The aforementioned intellectual was detained and forced to give up the security PIN number of his mobile phone upon arrival in Huston (Texas).

Since the so-called Muslim ban was implemented, the Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly added that 'suspected' individuals are required to surrender their Facebook and Twitter passwords upon entering the country. In a report published by New Delhi Television (NDTV), the latest among the suspected individuals was a natural-born US citizen traveling with proper documents.

Government vs. Government?

The Homeland Security personnel kept him in a holding area with the rest of the sleeping detainees after confiscating his phone - a device issued by NASA, hence technically a government property. The security staff copied all the data from his phone.

Born in Pasadena (California), Sidd Bikkannavar is a 35-year old tech designer for NASA's space telescopes. Employed by the government for over a decade, his latest works include the James Webb telescope scheduled to launch in 2018. Considering his generally clean profile, not to mention his prestigious career in the government's space program, Mr. Bikkannavar would have been cleared of any serious notion of threatening national security.

'Colored' Coding

In line with this event concerning Donald Trump's executive order, the implication seemed very dire and serious. In the first place, Mr. Bikkannavar's Indian ethnicity is not in any way associated with one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries included in the travel ban.

As quoted from the report published by Daily Star Co. UK, John Kelly told the Congress that "We want to get on their social media... If they don't want to cooperate then you don't come in." It is yet to be confirmed whether the 'authorized' invasion of Mr. Bikkannavar's privacy is ever related to his religion or just plain mistake. After all, being Muslim alone does not constitute a crime as clarified by the White House.