Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, thousands of Muslim-Americans have been responding to the call to serve the Stars and Stripes. Many of them have given their lives. Many others are still suffering from serious physical and mental health issues. I was one of those Muslims, serving proudly in the ranks of the Air Force helping to protect the US homeland from terrorism.

Despite my service and being a US citizen, I have been unable to protect my family abroad. My service in the US military has made them a target in my country of birth, Morocco. There has already been acts of retribution. My brother was jailed for 3 months without a reason, his business ruined, and now can’t get a job. To this day, he and his family are harassed. Another sibling fled seeking asylum.

I shouldn’t be left helpless as a veteran and US citizen. But since they are not US citizens, the US State Department has not been able to help protect them when they are threatened by terrorism for my service. The law needs to change to allow the State Department to quickly intervene on the behalf of foreign-born US service members whose families are threatened because of their to their commitment to serve.

A change in the law would allow my family to get assistance for protection from local consulates or embassies, or have an easier pathway to come to the US if needed.

My family’s situation has been made all the more harder as Muslims like me face Islamophobia here at home. There are talks of bans and registering those who practice Islam. Some have asked why I would serve a country with a wave of Islamophobia? I simply respond that there is a difference between “America,” which is an “ideal of liberty and justice for all,” and “Americans,” who are expected to live up to these ideals. Unfortunately, some of them don’t out of fear and ignorance.

Let’s not let fear prevent us from doing the right thing and live up to our values as Americans. Please sign my petition to urge the U.S. Congress to pass a law to help protect families like mine who are at risk of retaliation from terrorists aboard.