After she was smuggled into the United States with help from Lance Corporal Johnson and being threatened with deportation by United States Customs, she was permitted to stay and apply for asylum, claiming that she feared honor violence by her family in retaliation for fleeing her country and entertaining a romantic relationship with a non-Muslim.
Efter at Al Khalifa var blev smuglet ind i USA med hjælp fra Lance Johnson og bliver truet med udvisning fra USA, fik hun tilladelse til at blive og søge om asyl, hun hævder, at hun frygtede æresdrab af sin familie som gengældelse for at flygte fra hendes land, og have et romantisk forhold med en amerikaner.