Florida

Muhammad Ali's son asked, 'Are you Muslim?' by border agents

Associated Press
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FILE - In this April 15, 1975 file photo, Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, and Little Muhammad Ali, his 2 1/2 year old son, arrive at Miami Beach, Fla. Muhammad Ali's son, who bears the boxing great's name, was detained by immigration officials at a Florida airport and questioned about his ancestry and religion in what amounted to unconstitutional profiling, a family friend said Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2005, file photo, President Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to boxer Muhammad Ali in the East Room of the White House. Muhammad Ali's son, who bears the boxing great's name, was detained by immigration officials at a Florida airport and questioned about his ancestry and religion in what amounted to unconstitutional profiling, a family friend said Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this June 5, 2015 file photo, a view of the Homeland Security Department headquarters in Washington. Analysts at the Homeland Security Department’s intelligence arm found insufficient evidence that citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries included in President Donald Trump’s travel ban pose a terror threat to the U.S. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (The Associated Press)

A family friend says the son of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali was detained by immigration officials at a Florida airport.

Chris Mancini says that 44-year-old Muhammad Ali Jr. and his mother Khalilah Camacho-Ali, the second wife of Muhammad Ali, were arriving at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Feb. 7 after returning from Jamaica.

Mancini says officials questioned Ali Jr. for nearly two hours, repeatedly asking him, "Where did you get your name from?" and "Are you Muslim?"

Mancini says officials continued questioning Ali Jr. after acknowledging that he was Muslim. Ali Jr. was born in Philadelphia and holds a U.S. passport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Daniel Hetlage confirmed Saturday evening that Ali Jr. was held for questioning by customs officers, but said "it wasn't because he's a Muslim and it wasn't because of his Arabic-sounding name."