The Mevludin Hidanovic Story:                    

Mevludin came to Fargo, North Dakota in search of a new life. It was April 15, 1999 when he arrived in Fargo.  He fled from his war-torn town of Bijeljina, Bosnia. He came with his immediate family.  His parents, brothers and a sister all came to Fargo. They had heard from a family friend who was already in Fargo that there were plenty of places to live and jobs for them. The situation in Bosnia had deteriorated. Many of Mevludin’s extended family were missing and presumed dead. 

Things were hard at first. Mevludin was able to get a job right away and work hard. He worked his way up through various production jobs and decided to venture in a business of his own.  He tried his luck at a Bosnian restaurant but did not succeed. After saving up some more money, he attempted at his own business again. He ventured into the world of scrap metal. He was buying metal from businesses and selling to recyclers. Things were just starting to go well in his life.  Mevludin had met an American woman and was learning the differences in their cultures. They decided to marry after a few years of dating. All was great until June 24, 2006. Everything changed in an instant.

Mevludin was accused of a crime he did not commit.  He had thought that America was supposed to have one of the fairest judicial systems in the world. He had faith that it all would work out but it didn’t. He was wrongfully accused, based on no physical evidence and only one positive eye witness. He is currently serving 18 months for engaging in a riot while armed. He is facing deportation once his time is served. This isn’t supposed to happen. 

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