Woman unable to return home to Morocco due to the coronavirus

ATLANTA - A woman who came to Atlanta from Morocco for an internship has been unable to return home due to the coronavirus.

Fadoua Farhane came to the US in August for an eight-month-long internship. The internship was cut short in March due to the coronavirus pandemic and in that same week, Morocco closed its borders.

"I did the first four months. The last four months, I started, and almost at the end of the internship, my rotation got canceled because of the coronavirus," Farhane said.

Counties that have closed their borders have been flying citizens back home. It has been no exception for Moroccans stranded in other countries.

However, returning home has been difficult for Farhane, who is a dual citizen of the US and Morocco.

"The Moroccan government doesn't want me. The US government, of course, they want me, but my life is in Morocco."

She was told by the Moroccan government she doesn't make the cut for those who are prioritized to be flown back because she's also a US citizen. 

In Farhane's case, however, citizenship and home are two different things.

She hasn't lived in the US in 10 years. She has two young children, a husband, and other family in Morocco.

"I was born in Morocco; I grew up there until I was 18. and to suddenly be ignored just because I have a US citizenship is just humiliating," Farhane said.

Farhane has had no choice but to sit and wait since March. She has been in regular contact with the Moroccan embassy to explain her situation but hasn't had any luck.

"Is this the price we're going to pay for having dual citizenship? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you're going to include everybody, it has to be on the basis if they have family, not based on the fact that they have dual citizenship," Farhane said.

She doesn't have health insurance and has now run out of medication for her chronic illness.