“Stateless in Paradise: A Stranded Soul’s Fight for Freedom” is the title of a book which describes the experience of a man from Azerbaijan, Mikhail Sebastian who was stranded in American Samoa for more than a year.
After living in the US for 18 years he found himself barred from re-entry after a planned four day getaway to American Samoa and Samoa in December of 2011. When he tried to board Hawaiian Airlines for the flight back to Hawaii and the mainland he was told that he he couldn’t because as a stateless person he was using a world passport which the State Department does not recognize.
Mikhail has been a US citizen since 2020 and his book described his whole journey from childhood in the former Soviet Union to United States citizenship
A summary of his book says: Mikhail’s planned four day getaway to American Samoa in 2011 quickly transforms into an unexpected ordeal, as he becomes ensnared by the island’s harsh realities. Between the oppressive heat and humidity which particularly affect the heat-sensitive Mikhail, and frustrating bureaucratic challenges, he finds himself longing for the familiar comforts of Los Angeles-its fresh produce, juice bars and vibrant coffee scene.
“Desperate for a connection to the outside world, Mikhail frequent the local McDonald’s to use their free wifi and email with friends and advocates seeking help for his case. He blogs about his experiences, sharing his struggles with the world and shedding light on the plight of the 4,000 stateless individuals living in the United States.”
The book is available on Amazon.
