Written by Bilal G. Morris, NewsOne
The family of Tierra Allen, the Black woman stranded in Dubai, has called on Texas lawmakers to help aid in her return back to America.
According to reports, Allen has been stuck in her Airbnb in Dubai since May, when she was arrested for raising her voice at a car rental service male employee.
The 29-year-old truck driver and social media influencer was held in jail for a week before being released but had her passport confiscated while police investigate allegations of her screaming at a male employee at the car rental company.
Allen’s dream vacation to Dubai turned into a nightmare when she and a friend got into a small car accident in the vehicle they rented.
According to Newsweek, the damage was allegedly minimal for both vehicles and the rental, but Allen’s friend was still detained and held in jail for a week. Allen was then invited back to the car rental company to retrieve her belongings that were left in the car but was told she needed to pay a large sum of money to get her purse and ID back. Allen then told the male staffer that her credit cards were in her purse and couldn’t make a payment without them, but the employee allegedly told her to “find a way.” The incident then escalated into an argument.
Allen’s mother, Tina Baxter, told Newsweek that her daughter did yell at the man, but she was scared and afraid at the time.
“She was scared; she was afraid. And she was just lost at that point. She was very panicked. When she left, she used whatever money she had to take a bus back to her hotel. She didn’t really know where she was. She was in panic mode and afraid,” Baxter told the publication.
Baxter also claims that the male employee initiated the screaming and tried to extort her out of money. She alleges that when Allen returned later, offering to pay the money, the car rental employee doubled the original price. Allen tried to raise the cash, but when she returned to pay, the employee raised the price again.
Now Allen’s mother says her daughter is struggling with all the stress.
“I have never seen her so stressed,” Baxter said, admitting she hasn’t been sleeping since her daughter has been stranded in Dubai. “She’s such a sweet person. She’s a very soft-spoken, sweet young lady. And a very strong, very positive young lady. She’s tried to hide her stress from me. But I was on a video call with her and I could see the pain in her face.”
The family recently turned to Texas lawmakers to help bring their daughter back. Radha Stirling, the CEO of Detained in Dubai has contacted Senator Ted Cruz and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee “to liaise with the U.S. Consulate in the U.A.E….before she (Allen) ends up in a desert prison.”
Ted Cruz’s office responded by saying, “We have spoken to the family of Tierra Allen and have contacted the Department of State about the case. Sen. Cruz will continue to gather details and engage on this case until Ms. Allen is returned home to her family.”
Stirling also told Fox 26 that she believes Tierra Allen was extorted.
“The agency actually said to her, they’d drop the police case if she paid money. So,
