COURTESY PHOTO
Pictured is Lynn Classical High School graduate Tiba Faraj.
By GAYLA CAWLEY
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tiba Faraj, a recent Lynn Classical High School graduate and a refugee from Iraq, will accompany U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) to President Donald Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
Faraj, 22, came to Lynn in 2010, along with her parents and siblings. She became an American citizen last year.
“Like many before her, Tiba came to America seeking a better life,” said Warren in a statement. “Since arriving in Massachusetts, she has become a valued member of her community, through her commitment to volunteer work and academic excellence. Tiba’s courage, resilience and optimism embody the very best of the American spirit. Our strength as a country is rooted in our diversity, and Tiba’s many contributions have made us that much stronger.”
Faraj was unavailable for comment on Monday.
Warren’s decision to bring Faraj as a guest comes after Trump’s recent executive order, which temporarily banned entry to the United States by refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. The order has since been blocked by a federal judge. Trump is reportedly expected to release a new executive order on immigration this week.
Faraj’s journey to the United States began in 2006, after her father was shot and left permanently disabled while working for an American-backed development organization in Iraq. The Faraj family fled to Jordan, and began the process of applying for refugee status. After a screening process, the family was granted admission into the country in 2010 and settled in Massachusetts. They now live in Boston, according to information provided from Warren’s office.
She graduated from Lynn Classical in 2014 and is a junior at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
“We are so proud of Tiba for pursuing her own American dream while overcoming the challenges she and her family have faced,” said UMass Dartmouth interim Chancellor Peyton R. Helm in a statement. “Her success is an inspirational testament to her own perseverance and to the enduring values of our university, Commonwealth and our country.”
Faraj spent time interning with state Rep. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn).
“It is fair to say that I learned more from Tiba than she did from me during her time with my office,” Crighton said in a statement. “Tiba truly represents who we are as a nation and we are so proud to have her join Senator Warren for this speech before Congress.”
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Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley
