The award is named after Tom Lantos, the only survivor of the Holocaust to serve in US Congress and a leading advocate for human rights during his nearly three decades as a US Representative. Former recipients of the prize include, the Dalai Lama, Prof Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor, and former Israeli president Shimon Peres.
The foundation called on the Trump administration to immediately rescind the “ill-advised” order and has been in touch with the State Department to see if her case can be made an exception.
“When we deny entry to all citizens of Muslim majority countries, we disrespect our fundamental American values – indeed, the values that truly make America great,” it said in a statement on Monday.
“When we have to question whether a hero like Vian Dakhil, who has risked her life to fight the genocidal terrorists of ISIS, will be allowed into our country to receive a human rights prize in the shadow of the Capitol dome, we should all be deeply concerned.”