Americans Stuck Abroad Deserve Better
I want to bring awareness to how the U.S. government is treating the U.S. citizens stuck abroad. I was a student studying abroad in Morocco this spring. I was one of the lucky ones to be able to get out before the borders closed. I still have classmates stuck in Morocco who are desperately trying to get home. The current administration said that people had adequate time before borders closed, which is blatantly false. There was no forewarning from the Moroccan government that the borders were closing and that all international flights would be cancelled.
Me and a few of my peers had LESS THAN 24 HOURS to contact a travel agent and get on the last flight to the United States. We all bought flights to leave the country beforehand and had to hastily rebook a new one without reimbursement for our current bookings. I was privileged enough for my university to both give me a travel agent and pay for my ticket, which was around $2,000. Without financial assistance, I would still be in Morocco.
Now, the U.S. government is sending a charter plane to come rescue the Americans stuck in Morocco. However, they are making each person sign a promissory note to pay the government back $1,485. This means that the U.S. government is making U.S. citizens pay a fee just to get back to United States for circumstances out of their control. It is the government's job to ensure the safety of Americans at home and abroad. U.S. citizens should have the right to return home without paying the government compensation.
TL;DR The U.S. Government is making U.S. citizens stuck in Morocco PAY A FEE to return to the United States.
