Australian Author Recounts 'Awful' Ordeal Trying to Legally Enter the U.S.

October 12, 2016

Writer

Nick Adams, author of the new book Green Card Warrior: My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals' System, joined The Glenn Beck Program on Wednesday to discuss his harrowing experience trying to legally enter the U.S.

"The United States had a little jihad against Nick. Now, he has his green card," Glenn said.

In his book, Adams details what was supposed to be a routine meeting with the Citizenship and Immigration Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security.

"I got an absolutely awful individual at the U.S. Consulate in Sydney. And that sparked the beginning of what would be ten months of absolute turmoil, impacting my finances, impacting my health, my family's health, my career. And it was just something that I will never ever forget," Adams said.

Read below or watch the clip for answers to these serious questions:

• Why does Nick love America so much?

• How have Nick's pro-American ideas negatively impacted his career?

• Why does Nick believe America is still the most optimistic, energetic place?

• What does Nick describe as political correctness on steroids?

• Who put Nick on a No Fly List and why?

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: Nick Adams, author of a new book, Green Card Warrior: My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals' System.

Nick is a good friend of the program, been a friend of ours for a long time, and the last time he was here, he said, "I don't know if I'm going to be able to come back." The United States had a little jihad against Nick. Now, he has his green card now.

It has taken you how many years?

NICK: Four and a half years.

GLENN: Four and a half years. How much money?

NICK: $50,000.

GLENN: $50,000. Now, here's what happened. Because the book details all of this, and it's a great read. And if you really want to know what's happening in our country, read this book.

You were -- you were on the track to get a green card as a -- what do you call it? Extraordinary Ability?

NICK: Extraordinary Ability green card. That's right.

GLENN: So what you have to do is prove that you're the top 1 percent of your field, your profession, and you can get a green card. But you were put on a No Fly List.

NICK: Well, that's exactly right, Glenn. So I had an Extraordinary Ability green card approved petition. So the Citizenship and Immigration Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, they make the assessment on whether or not you qualify for a green card. The very last step for anybody that is going to get a visa or a green card to enter the United States is a formality meeting that occurs at the local consulate or embassy in your home country, where you pony up and you show your passport, the original of your birth certificate, your police check, and your medical check. It's meant to be very routine, very procedural.

Well, mine was anything but. I got an absolutely awful individual at the U.S. Consulate in Sydney. And that sparked the beginning of what would be ten months of absolute turmoil, impacting my finances, impacting my health, my family's health, my career. And it was just something that I will never ever forget. I mean, I -- those --

GLENN: So who was the individual? Let's start with this. You said -- I mean, your idea of America came from a doctor who diagnosed you with cancer when you were really young and helped cure you. And you've always looked up at America.

You have been so pro-American that you actually were losing jobs in your home country because you were not liked because of your view of America, correct?

NICK: Well, that's exactly right, Glenn. I think -- all my adult life, I've been fighting the ogre of the left. It started when I was a third-year university student, and I was denied an internship at the national broadcaster in Australia.

It continued when I was involved in politics, being publicly elected at the age of 19 at the local government in Sydney and becoming the youngest deputy mayor in Australian history at 21, when the little totalitarians in my own conservative party decided to vilify me because I was outspoken.

It continued when I was a high school teacher. And, yes, you're right, as I've gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the last or three years, I've become unemployable. I can't get a job in Australia because I go on Fox News, because I go on TheBlaze, and because I'm a patriot.

And that's a really, really big problem. And it's part of the reason why I wanted to come to the United States. So I recognize that I --

GLENN: It's not going to get better for you here.

(laughter)

NICK: Well, I'm working on turning it around. I'm working on turning it around. Even with all of the problems that America has got right now, this is still the most optimistic, energetic place. This is still the place where you can rise above the circumstances.

GLENN: So when you were going into the consulate -- you describe it in the book as a very gray, drab, and mean person that you're coming into and a drab, ugly building.

Would you have felt the same way if that was the image of America that you had when you were young? You had the -- I mean, it's not the same image.

NICK: Well, no, it's not. And it's really interesting, Glenn. That the consulate looked and felt entirely different to real America. And I know that that's something that's close to your heart. Real America is warm. There's enthusiastic patriotism. There is generous hospitality. There are people that are really colorful and identities.

And this place was just political correctness on steroids. I mean, it was -- there was nothing on the walls. It was completely and utterly gray, as I describe it in the book, and as you have outlined.

So I -- I mean, I went in there wanting to get my job done. And, unfortunately, I couldn't.

And this is the first documented case that we have of the State Department. Because all consulates and all embassies come under the State Department. This is the first documented case we have of the Hillary Clinton State Department, of the John Kerry State Department, of the State Department under the Obama administration, using the legal immigration office to vet or screen potential immigrants based on their politics.

Because what our investigations uncovered -- and this is all in the book. This is explosive. This is a tell-all. Green Card Warrior is a tell-all, explosive, blockbuster book, which I think is going to impact this election and catapult immigration back to the forefront of discussions.

Because what's happening right now is just wrong. Good people struggle to come here, and bad people get to come here legally. And now investigations uncovered that the individual that was at the center of this has got political views that are the opposite of mine, has a different sexual orientation than me, and it's very clear that all of that fit in to my case being sent back to citizenship and immigration services with a recommendation that it had been revoked.

GLENN: Okay. Now, wait a minute. Did this person put your name on a No Fly List?

NICK: Well, I don't know for sure if that person put me on a No Fly List. I was on a No Fly List because my family and I, as I detail in the book, were trying to fly to the United States. I was with my mum and dad, and we were turned away.

JEFFY: They didn't let you know ahead of time? They waited until you got to the airport?

NICK: That's exactly right.

And the not authorized travel document is in Green Card Warrior. So I was put on a No Fly List. I couldn't travel here. And there are so many things about the legal immigration system that people don't know.

Glenn, had it not been for some very courageous senators and congressmen that stood up for me and represented me to the Citizenship and Immigration Service, I likely wouldn't be able to be here today. Because had my application been revoked, had they agreed with the recommendation of this official in the U.S. Consulate in Sydney, not only would I not have gotten a green card, there's something in the law called immigrant intent.

And immigrant intent stipulates that if you have formerly demonstrated a desire to be a permanent resident of the United States and the government knocks you back, they reject you, then you are never, ever again allowed to reenter the United States in your lifetime. That is a fact that no one knows.

So here I am facing a lifetime ban of coming to the country that I love so much, that I've worked so hard to build a life and a career in. I was in negotiations with Fox News. Things were happening for me. I had a new nonprofit.

I had no future or career in my own country. And then the country that I love, I was staring down the barrel of never being able to go back. I was the ultimate refugee. But no one ever spoke about me. No one cared about me.

And those nights that I spent -- I mean, I get emotional when I think about it.

GLENN: How did you find out who this person was that --

NICK: Well, I showed some American-style initiative. You see, obviously consulates and embassies around the world these days understandably, because of the threats that are posed by people that don't like America, operate under very strict security.

So I thought, "Well, how do I go about and find out -- because you see, Glenn, I went to my attorneys. And my attorneys said -- I had the best of the best in Manhattan. And they said, "Nick, we've been practicing immigration law for four decades. We have never ever seen anything like this.

Technically, this is a thing called a consular return. It exists under the law, but it is used so sparingly. And anyone that uses this particularly in your case, with you being as high profile as you are, this is very clearly an abuse of power."

So I said, "Well, I've got to try and get to the bottom of this." They said, "We're probably never going to know." And I said, "Well, let me try and work on that."

And so I went through the equivalent of the State Department in the Australian government. So I went to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. And I managed to get my hands on a list of every single diplomat from every country in the world in Australia, and I went to the US section.

I was able to narrow it down to the U.S. Consulate. And I knew from a letter that we also have published in Green Card Warrior, the letter that informed me that my application was sent back, that the person who signed it was a vice consul. And I knew that I had seen this individual. Because he'd interviewed me. So I knew that I could match up the face with the name, but there were eight vice consuls.

So I went through social media. And I made sure that I found everything out. And I was able to capture everything on this individual's social media account. And it became very clear to me that public statements that I've made over the years concerning feminism only producing angry women and feminine men and my arguments in support of traditional family values and my love of America were the reasons why I was vilified. They wanted to vilify an enemy of the left.

GLENN: Unbelievable.

Okay. The name of the book is Green Card Warrior: My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals' System. Nick Adams is the author.

So you moved here to Texas. This part -- when I got to this part in the book, my eyes started to bleed.

JEFFY: There's more?

GLENN: Oh, yeah. There's two parts that will make your eyes bleed.

You're moving to Texas. The senators that you reached out to. Did you get help from any Texas senators?

NICK: Well, the only senator, Glenn, that I reached out to in all of my dealings, when I came to the United States to try and do something about it -- even though I had been advised by my attorneys to not come, that I should stay in Australia. And I prayed about that with my mum and dad. And they said, "Nick, you've done nothing wrong. You need to go over there and fight." And so I tried to muster up as much political support as I could, and I end up having six US senators and more than a dozen congressmen support me.

GLENN: This is going to kill you. This is going to kill you.

NICK: The only Senate office that I rang that did not offer assistance after I spoke to them was Senator Ted Cruz's office.

GLENN: Was the only one that didn't help?

NICK: Was the only one that didn't help.

GLENN: Okay. And the one that gave you the most -- ooh, this hurts.

The one that gave you the most help?

NICK: Was Senator Lindsey Graham's office, who were absolutely amazing, and I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to.

GLENN: Oh, dear God.

STU: Stations, we're going to edit out that last two minutes.

(laughter)

GLENN: Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.

Nick, I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad you're around, just around the corner, staying here in Texas. Good to have you.

NICK: Oh, Glenn. Listen, I've waited all my life to be here. I can't wait to start my life properly. This is the best country in the history of the world. That's why I've come here.

I've come to make, not take. Give, not receive. I've come to try and turn this country around, not let it become the country that I left and like everywhere else in the world. This is such a special, special, special place. And I fought tooth and nail to come here. And now I'm going to clean up the left that tried to kick me out.

JEFFY: Hey, did you hear that? We cannot have somebody like that in this country.

GLENN: I know.

Green Card Warrior is the name of the book. The guy doesn't have a job. Buy his book. It's 9.90 on Amazon right now. Green Card Warrior: My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals' System. Nick Adams, author of Retaking America. Green Card Warrior. Nick Adams is his name. Go buy the book right now.

Thank you so much, Nick, we'll talk again.

Featured Image: Close-up of a passport with cash, boarding pass and travel book (Credit: michaelquirk)

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

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Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

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When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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