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)

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Is a Christian Genocide unfolding overseas?

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In February 2025, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated group, beheaded 70 Christians—men, women, and children—in a Protestant church in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, after tying their hands. This horrific massacre, described as a "silent genocide" reminiscent of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has shocked the global community.

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After a tense March meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy signed a deal on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, granting the U.S. preferential mineral rights in Ukraine in exchange for continued military support. Glenn analyzed an earlier version of the agreement in March, when Zelenskyy rejected it, highlighting its potential benefits for America, Ukraine, and Europe. Glenn praised the deal’s strategic alignment with U.S. interests, including reducing reliance on China for critical minerals and fostering regional peace.

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Zelenskyy’s outcomes reflect a delicate balance. The reconstruction fund and retained mineral control bolster Ukraine’s economic and sovereign interests, but the absence of security guarantees and pressure to negotiate peace could strain domestic support and challenge Ukraine’s long-term stability.

What does this mean for the future?

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While Trump didn’t secure all his demands, the deal advances several of his broader strategic goals. By gaining access to Ukraine’s mineral riches, the U.S. undermines China’s dominance over critical elements like lithium and graphite, essential for technology and energy industries. This shift reduces American and European dependence on Chinese supply chains, strengthening Western industrial and tech sectors. Most significantly, the agreement marks a pivotal step toward peace in Europe. Ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which has claimed thousands of lives, is a top priority for Trump, and Zelenskyy’s commitment to U.S.-led peace talks enhances Trump’s leverage in negotiations with Russia. Notably, the deal avoids binding U.S. commitments to Ukraine’s long-term defense, preserving flexibility for future administrations.

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Did Canadians just vote in their doom?

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A Costly Election

Mark Carney (left) and Pierre Poilievre (right)

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The election defied the expectations of many analysts who anticipated a Conservative win earlier this year.

For Americans unfamiliar with parliamentary systems, here’s a brief overview of Canada’s federal election process. Unlike U.S. presidential elections, Canadians do not directly vote for their Prime Minister. Instead, they vote for a political party. Each Canadian resides in a "riding," similar to a U.S. congressional district, and during the election, each riding elects a Member of Parliament (MP). The party that secures the majority of MPs forms the government and appoints its leader as Prime Minister.

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Poilievre's Downfall

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What caused Poilievre’s dramatic fall from front-runner to losing his parliamentary seat?

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This election marks a pivotal moment for Canada, with far-reaching implications for its sovereignty and economic stability. As Glenn has warned, Carney’s globalist leanings could align Canada more closely with international agendas, potentially at the expense of its national interests. Canadians now face the challenge of navigating this new political landscape under a leader with a controversial track record.

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